Basketball Game Preview: Central Academy Cougars vs. Monroe Redhawks

Central Academy is 0-10 against Monroe since January of 2016 but things could change on Friday. Both will face off at 6:00 p.m. without much rest having both just played.

Central Academy is headed into Friday's matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their 35th straight game dating back to last season on Thursday. They were dealt a 57-17 loss at the hands of Piedmont.

While Monroe didn't have the best season last year (they finished 11-16), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They enjoyed a cozy 51-32 win over Anson on Thursday. Given the Redhawks' advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 123rd, while the Bearcats are ranked 488th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Central Academy better keep an eye on Summer Jones. She was instrumental in Monroe's win, going 10 for 24 en route to 24 points along with five assists and four steals. Jones is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in the last four games she's played.

Central Academy's defeat dropped their record down to 0-13. As for Monroe, their victory bumped their record up to 7-2.

Central Academy was dealt a bruising 59-27 loss at the hands of Monroe when the teams last played back in February of 2024. Can Central Academy avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.