Basketball Game Preview: Johnson County Sports Association Lions vs. Westlake Academy Blacksmiths

The Johnson County Sports Association Lions will face off against the Westlake Academy Blacksmiths at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.

Last Friday, Johnson County Sports Association came up short against Stephenville FAITH and fell 44-36.

Despite their defeat, Johnson County Sports Association saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Jason Calaway, who posted four points along with five assists and four steals, was perhaps the best of all. Calaway is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed four or more in the last four games he's played. Jonas Lantrip was another key player, putting up eight points.

Even though they lost, Johnson County Sports Association smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive boards in 22 consecutive contests dating back to last season.

Meanwhile, Westlake Academy had to suffer through a 84-33 loss at the hands of Fort Worth THESA. While losing is never fun, the Blacksmiths can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Texas basketball rankings (they are ranked 1314th, while the Riders are ranked 519th).

Johnson County Sports Association has traveled a rocky road recently having lost five of their last six matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 4-12 record this season. As for Westlake Academy, their loss dropped their record down to 9-12.