Preview: Curtis Baptist Crusaders vs. Cambridge Academy Cougars
After seven games on the road, Curtis Baptist is heading back home. They will take on the Cambridge Academy Cougars at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
In what's become a running theme this season, Curtis Baptist gave their fans yet another huge win on Thursday. They blew past Wardlaw Academy 47-24. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest victory Curtis Baptist has posted since December 5, 2023.
Curtis Baptist's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Maci Butler led the charge by scoring eight points along with 12 rebounds and five steals. Butler is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in the last seven games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Nyla Robinson, who scored eight points along with five rebounds and five steals.
Even though Cambridge Academy has not done well against Newberry Academy recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. Cambridge Academy strolled past Newberry Academy with points to spare, taking the game 33-19. Given Cambridge Academy's advantage in MaxPreps' South Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 108th, while Newberry Academy is ranked 264th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Cambridge Academy had a senior duo take command as Alex Cockrell scored six points along with nine steals and seven rebounds and Indya Southerland scored 12 points along with four steals. Cockrell hasn't dropped below two steals for three straight games. Another player making a difference was Izzy Southerland, who scored two points along with six rebounds and three steals.
Curtis Baptist's win bumped their record up to 10-5. As for Cambridge Academy, they are on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last eight matches, which provided a nice bump to their 10-3 record this season.
Tuesday's game is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Curtis Baptist have been dynamite from deep this season, having only made 32.5% of their threes per game. However, it's not like Cambridge Academy struggles in that department as they've only made 31.5% of their threes per game this season. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Curtis Baptist came up short against Cambridge Academy when the teams last played back in February of 2023, falling 36-29. Will Curtis Baptist have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.
