The Leadership Academy Falcons and the Providence Grove Patriots will face off at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday without much rest having both just played. Leadership Academy will be coming into the game with an undefeated record on the line.
Leadership Academy is headed into the contest after thoroughly thrashing South Davidson: they outscored them in every quarter. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that Leadership Academy blew South Davidson out of the water with an 86-43 final score. The Falcons have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won five matches by 29 points or more this season.
Caden Ryker
| 12/27/24 vs South Davidson | 4 |
| 12/19/24 @ Triad Math and Science Academy | 3 |
| 12/17/24 @ Bethany Community | 6 |
| 12/13/24 vs Piedmont Classical | 3 |
| 12/10/24 @ Cornerstone Charter | 5 |
Leadership Academy can attribute much of their success to Landon Burleyson, who went 11 for 23 on his way to 27 points and three steals, and Caden Ryker, who went 9 of 11 on his way to 19 points in addition to eight boards and four steals. Ryker is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in the last ten games he's played dating back to last season. The team also got some help courtesy of Caleb Foster, who dropped a double-double on ten points and 11 boards.
Leadership Academy smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 30 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive boards in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Providence Grove, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Thursday. They simply couldn't be stopped on Friday as they easily beat River Mill 66-12. That looming 66-12 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Patriots yet this season.
Providence Grove's win came from a few key players Leadership Academy will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Andrew Thomas, who almost dropped a double-double on 15 points and nine steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Stephen Beeson, who dropped a double-double on 13 points and 12 boards.
Providence Grove is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests, which provided a nice bump to their 5-6 record this season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 62.3 points per game. As for Leadership Academy, their victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-0.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Leadership Academy has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 34.3 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Providence Grove struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28.7 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Leadership Academy couldn't quite finish off Providence Grove in their previous matchup back in December of 2023 and fell 58-55. Will Leadership Academy have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
