Basketball Game Preview: Coolidge Bears vs. Benjamin Franklin Chargers

The Coolidge Bears will challenge the Benjamin Franklin Chargers at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Coolidge is coming into the game hot, having won their last eight games.

Last Thursday, everything went Coolidge's way against Seton Catholic as Coolidge made off with a 51-26 victory. The Bears have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 12 matchups by 25 points or more this season.

Alaysia White

Steals

02/06/25 vs Seton Catholic	10
02/04/25 vs Florence	11
01/31/25 vs Globe	10
01/29/25 vs Apache Junction	10
01/28/25 @ Valley Christian	3
+ 41 more games

Coolidge's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Alaysia White, who dropped a triple-double with ten points, 12 rebounds, and ten steals. White is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed three or more in the last 46 games she's played dating back to last season. Another player making a difference was Naylissa Charles, who dropped a double-double with 16 points and 12 boards.

Coolidge smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 19 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive boards in 12 consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Benjamin Franklin made easy work of Bourgade Catholic on Thursday and carried off a 50-25 win. The victory continues a trend for the Chargers in their matchups with the Golden Eagles: they've now won three in a row.

Benjamin Franklin's win came from a few key players Coolidge will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Celest Chege, who posted 15 points. Those 15 points gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Jacey Blair, who earned 17 points.

Coolidge pushed their record up to 18-9 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. The wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 24.2 points over those games. As for Benjamin Franklin, their victory bumped their record up to 11-14.

Coolidge strolled past Benjamin Franklin when the teams last played back in February of 2024 by a score of 60-44. Does Coolidge have another victory up their sleeve, or will Benjamin Franklin turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.