The Coolidge Bears will head out to challenge the Valley Christian Trojans at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Last Thursday, even if it wasn't a dominant performance, Coolidge beat Seton Catholic 60-56.
Jensen Carter
| 02/06/25 @ Seton Catholic | 25 |
| 01/10/25 @ Globe | 12 |
| 02/04/25 vs Florence | 10 |
| 01/20/25 vs The Gregory School | 9 |
| 01/25/25 vs Pusch Ridge Christian Academy | 8 |
Coolidge's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jensen Carter, who went 10 for 13 on his way to 25 points. The dominant performance gave Carter a new career-high in points. Adarius Miguel was another key player, putting up 12 points and five assists.
Meanwhile, Valley Christian entered their tilt with Florence on Thursday with 13 consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with 14. They blew past the Gophers, posting a 76-41 victory. Given the Trojans' advantage in MaxPreps' Arizona basketball rankings (they are ranked 13th, while the Gophers are ranked 64th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Coolidge better keep an eye on Carson Grier. He was instrumental in Valley Christian's win, dropping a triple-double with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists. Grier is also on a roll when it comes to shooting accuracy, as he's posted one of at least 45% in the last 11 games he's played. Another player making a difference was Colby Jessup, who dropped a double-double with 22 points and ten boards.
Valley Christian smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in 14 consecutive games.
Valley Christian pushed their record up to 22-3 with the win, which was their 22nd straight on the road dating back to last season. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 79.5 points over those games. As for Coolidge, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matches, which provided a nice bump to their 22-8 record this season.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Coolidge has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 32.9 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Valley Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 35.5 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Coolidge was taken down by Valley Christian 90-36 when the teams last played two weeks ago. Can Coolidge avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
