Ascend Leadership hasn't had much luck against Clover Garden School recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The two teams will compete for holiday cheer at 6:00 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with ten defeats in a row dating back to last season, Ascend Leadership turned things around against Covenant C on Wednesday. They really took it to the Crusaders for the full four quarters, racking up a 56-7 victory. The high-flying offensive performance was a huge turnaround for the Aviators considering their 12-point performance the contest before.
| 12/11/24 vs Covenant C | 18 |
| 12/03/24 @ Neuse Charter | 4 |
| 11/18/24 vs Haw River Christian Academy | 11 |
| 11/15/24 @ Haw River Christian Academy | 8 |
Ascend Leadership found their leader in freshman Alexa Manon, who dropped a double-double on 22 points and 18 rebounds. With that strong performance, Manon is now averaging an impressive 10.2 boards per game. The team also got some help courtesy of Jahniya Wilson, who posted ten points.
Ascend Leadership smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 37 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 17 offensive rebounds in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Clover Garden School). They walked away with a 45-32 win over Graham on Friday.
Ascend Leadership better keep an eye on Hanna Tickle. She was instrumental in Clover Garden School's win, putting up 26 points along with eight rebounds and seven steals. That makes it six consecutive games in which Tickle has scored at least a third of Clover Garden School's points. London Hairston was another key player, posting three points along with nine rebounds and five blocks.
Ascend Leadership's first victory this season bumped their record up to 1-3. As for Clover Garden School, their record is now 5-1.
Tuesday's matchup is shaping up to be a scrappy contest: Ascend Leadership hasn't given up the ball easily this season, having only averaged 4.5 turnovers per game. It's a different story for Clover Garden School, though, as they've been averaging 23.3 turnovers. Given Ascend Leadership's sizable advantage in that area, Clover Garden School will need to find a way to close that gap.
Ascend Leadership took a serious blow against Clover Garden School when the teams last played back in February, falling 61-4. Can Ascend Leadership avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
