The Bishop Kenny Crusaders will take on the Menendez Falcons on Thursday. Bishop Kenny is coming into the match hot, having won their last six games.
Bishop Kenny is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They breezed by Baker County to the tune of 58-20. The Crusaders have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 13 games by 22 points or more this season.
Abby Baker
| 02/04/25 vs Baker County | 3 |
| 01/31/25 @ Viera | 2 |
| 01/30/25 vs Englewood | 2 |
Bishop Kenny's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Abby Baker, who went 7 for 11 on her way to 15 points in addition to seven boards and three steals, and Kathleen Crawley, who went 6 of 9 en route to 18 points. Baker is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in the last three games she's played. Reese Mayer was another key player, putting up six points and seven assists.
Bishop Kenny 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 six consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, after only 25 points in their last match, Menendez made sure to put some points up on the board against Paxon School For Advanced Studies on Tuesday. Menendez skirted past Paxon School For Advanced Studies 61-59.
Menendez's win came from a few key players Bishop Kenny will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Sophia Scibelli, who almost dropped a double-double on 20 points and nine rebounds. Another player making a difference was Jakayla Newsome, who posted 16 points and five steals.
Bishop Kenny pushed their record up to 22-4 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. Those victories came thanks to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 14.7 points per game. As for Menendez, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven games, which provided a massive bump to their 15-8 record this season.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Bishop Kenny has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 28 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Menendez struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28.6 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Everything came up roses for Bishop Kenny against Menendez in their previous matchup back in February of 2021, as the squad secured a 68-16 win. Does Bishop Kenny have another victory up their sleeve, or will Menendez turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
