Basketball Game Preview: Northland Prep Academy Spartans vs. Round Valley Elks

The Northland Prep Academy Spartans will venture away from home to take on the Round Valley Elks at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. Northland Prep Academy knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 55 points or more in their past eight matches -- so hopefully Round Valley likes a good challenge.

On Wednesday, Northland Prep Academy beat Kingman Academy 83-70.

Northland Prep Academy's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jaden Joiner, who went 8 for 17 en route to 25 points. Joiner is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in the last five games he's played. Simon Pickup was another key player, going 8 of 9 on his way to 21 points.

Meanwhile, Round Valley came into Tuesday's contest having lost seven straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They enjoyed a cozy 56-42 victory over Hopi on Tuesday.

Northland Prep Academy is also on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine games, which provided a nice bump to their 15-8 record this season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 68.3 points per game. As for Round Valley, their win ended a four-game drought on the road and puts them at 5-18.

Northland Prep Academy came up short against Round Valley in their previous matchup back in December of 2024, falling 65-59. Can Northland Prep Academy avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.