Preview: Lawrence Academy Warriors vs. John Paul II Catholic Saints
Lawrence Academy has enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will square off against the John Paul II Catholic Saints at 6:15 p.m. on Monday. Lawrence Academy knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past six matchups -- so hopefully John Paul II Catholic likes a good challenge.
Even though Lawrence Academy has not done well against Ridgecroft recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. Lawrence Academy walked away with a 74-66 victory over Ridgecroft. Having run the score up that high, both teams might be doing some extra defensive drills very soon.
Lawrence Academy got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Mari Larry out in front who scored 22 points along with nine rebounds and four steals. Larry has been hot recently, having posted two or more steals the last three times he's played. Mike Lee was another key contributor, scoring 15 points along with five rebounds and two steals.
Meanwhile, John Paul II Catholic ended up a good deal behind Cape Fear Academy on Friday and lost 60-46. While losing is never fun, John Paul II Catholic can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 422nd, while Cape Fear Academy is ranked 141st).
Lawrence Academy's win bumped their record up to 11-5. As for John Paul II Catholic, they have been struggling recently, as they've lost seven of their last nine contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-11 record this season.
Lawrence Academy was able to grind out a solid victory over John Paul II Catholic when the teams last played back in December of 2023, winning 73-63. The rematch might be a little tougher for Lawrence Academy since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
