Basketball Recap: Sergei Mikhalev and Nikko Andino Secure Win for Avant Garde Academy

Avant Garde Academy lost to Franklin Academy back in January of 2024, but they didn't allow them the same satisfaction on Monday. The Avant Garde Academy Sharks came out on top against the Franklin Academy Panthers by a score of 48-35.

Avant Garde Academy was led to victory by Nikko Andino and Sergei Mikhalev. Andino went 7 of 16 on his way to 16 points along with eight boards and five steals, while Mikhalev went 8 for 13 en route to 17 points in addition to eight rebounds and six steals. That makes it three consecutive games in which Mikhalev has scored at least a third of Avant Garde Academy's points. The team also got some help courtesy of Landon Guzman, who posted seven points and five assists.

Avant Garde Academy smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive rebounds. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Franklin Academy only pulled down eight offensive boards.

Several Panthers players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Reynaldo Chevannes, who earned six points and 11 boards. Another player making a difference was Jacob Alicot, who had nine points.

Avant Garde Academy has been performing well recently as they've won seven of their last nine games, which provided a nice bump to their 9-5 record this season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 60.6 points per game. As for Franklin Academy, they have traveled a rocky road recently having lost four of their last five contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 2-5 record this season.

Avant Garde Academy will head out to face off against Oxbridge Academy at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. The timing isn't great for Oxbridge Academy: they have been struggling with four straight losses at home, while Avant Garde Academy has snatched up five consecutive wins on the road. Franklin Academy has already played their next matchup (against Somerset Academy Central Miramar), but no score has been uploaded at the time of writing.