Preview: The Academy Wildcats vs. Prospect Ridge Academy Miners
The Academy has enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will take on the Prospect Ridge Academy Miners at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are closely ranked in Colorado (The Academy is ranked 218th, while Prospect Ridge Academy is ranked 235th).
The Academy struggled with offensive rebounds on Friday (St. Mary's Academy had 22 more) and sadly the final score reflected it. The Academy lost to St. Mary's Academy at home by a decisive 50-33 margin. The Academy has struggled against St. Mary's Academy recently, as their match on Friday was their third consecutive lost matchup.
The Academy's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Mallory Beagle, who scored 11 points along with three steals, and Rylyn Romero who scored 11 points along with three steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Beagle has scored all season.
Meanwhile, you can't lose the game if you win every quarter, and that was precisely Prospect Ridge Academy's strategy against Forge Christian on Friday. Prospect Ridge Academy came out on top against Forge Christian by a score of 46-35.
Prospect Ridge Academy got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Audrey Zych out in front who scored six points along with nine rebounds and three steals. Another player making a difference was Kayah Robbins, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and 12 rebounds.
The Academy has not been sharp recently as the team has lost eight of their last nine contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-16 record this season. As for Prospect Ridge Academy, they have been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four contests, which provided a nice bump to their 5-12 record this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: The Academy have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 27.8 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Prospect Ridge Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 31.8 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
The Academy lost to Prospect Ridge Academy on the road by a decisive 52-36 margin in their previous matchup back in February of 2023. Can The Academy avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
