Basketball Recap: Rank Disadvantage No Problem for Gilbert Classical Academy

Gilbert Classical Academy won the last time they faced Tempe Prep and things went their way on Thursday too. The Gilbert Classical Academy Spartans came out on top against the Tempe Prep Knights by a score of 56-46. The victory was all the more spectacular given the Spartans' disadvantage in MaxPreps' Arizona basketball rankings (they are ranked 213th, while the Knights are ranked 69th).

Tempe Prep's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Austin Sampson, who went 7 of 17 on his way to 15 points in addition to five boards and five steals. Sampson has been hot for a while, having posted four or more steals the last 20 times he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Cyalan Cotton, who posted eight points and nine rebounds.

Spartans

Previous 3 Games (Home)

12/12/24 vs Tempe Prep	56-46
12/03/24 vs Trivium Prep	86-36
11/22/24 vs Mountainside	61-36

Gilbert Classical Academy's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-4. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 67.7 points per game. As for Tempe Prep, they moved to 7-1 with that loss, which also ended their nine-game winning streak.

Gilbert Classical Academy will take on Highland Prep West in a holiday battle at at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. After both having extra time off, Tempe Prep and ALA - Anthem South will dust off their jerseys to challenge one another at 7:00 p.m. on January 7, 2025.