Two dominant guards in Clarence Westbrook Jr. and Jarvis Pope are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders will square off against the Bell Creek Academy Panthers at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
St. Thomas Aquinas was handed a heart-breaking two-point defeat in their last game, but they sure didn't let that happen against Westminster Academy on Saturday. The Raiders blew past the Lions 79-58. Given the Raiders' advantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 19th, while the Lions are ranked 181st) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
St. Thomas Aquinas' success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Drake (DJ) Sandi led the charge by dropping a double-double with 12 points and 13 assists. Another player making a difference was Kellson (KJ) Sandi, who posted 13 points along with five boards and four steals.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Bell Creek Academy, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. They took their contest on Wednesday with ease, bagging an 80-15 victory over Varsity Opponent. The Panthers' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Bell Creek Academy's win came from a few key players St. Thomas Aquinas will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Elijah Gilroy, who went 9-for-14 to rack up 21 points in addition to five assists and three steals. Bell Creek Academy is 2-1 when Gilroy posts three or more steals, but 0-5 otherwise. The team also got some help courtesy of Derrick Muse, who shot 57% from the field on his way to 20 points and eight rebounds.
St. Thomas Aquinas' record is now 6-1. As for Bell Creek Academy, their record now sits at 2-6.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: St. Thomas Aquinas hasn't given up the ball easily this season, having only averaged 9.3 turnovers per game. However, it's not like Bell Creek Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 8 turnovers. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
