Preview: Franklin Road Christian Minutemen vs. Boyd Christian Broncos
Franklin Road Christian has enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will take on the Boyd Christian Broncos at 5:30 p.m. on Monday. Both teams come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
On Saturday, Franklin Road Christian strolled past Franklin Christian Academy with points to spare, taking the game 61-43. Given Franklin Road Christian's advantage in MaxPreps' Tennessee basketball rankings (they are ranked 169th, while Franklin Christian Academy is ranked 394th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Lakelyn Dempsey was the offensive standout of the match as she scored 15 points along with eight rebounds and eight steals. That's the first time this season that she scored 15 or more points. The team also got some help courtesy of Presley Applegate, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and ten rebounds.
Meanwhile, Boyd Christian put the finishing touches on their ninth blowout victory of the season on Thursday. They breezed by Riverside Christian Academy on the road to the tune of 60-32. The game was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 36-6.
Boyd Christian can attribute much of their success to Katie Bechtel, who scored 14 points along with five rebounds, and Brooke Kesey, who scored 21 points. Bechtel continues to roll, besting her previous point total in each of the last three games she's played. Krista Chisam was another key contributor, scoring seven points along with five steals.
Franklin Road Christian's win bumped their record up to 16-4. As for Boyd Christian, the victory was the fourth in a row for them, bringing their record for this year to 15-11.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Franklin Road Christian have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 37.4 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Boyd Christian, though, as they've been averaging only 32.1 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Franklin Road Christian came up short against Boyd Christian in their previous matchup back in December of 2023, falling 55-50. Can Franklin Road Christian avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
