Preview: Thunderbird Adventist Academy vs. Ville de Marie Academy
Thunderbird Adventist Academy has been on the road for four straight, but on Thursday they'll finally head home. They will take on Ville de Marie Academy at 6:45 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Last Tuesday, Thunderbird Adventist Academy blew past Paradise Valley Christian Prep, posting a 59-26 victory on the road. Given Thunderbird Adventist Academy's advantage in MaxPreps' Arizona basketball rankings (they are ranked 97th, while Paradise Valley Christian Prep is ranked 262nd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Thunderbird Adventist Academy's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Gideon Orellana, who scored 20 points along with eight steals. Orellana is absolutely dominating the point category: he's posted at least 15 every time he's taken the court this season. Malcolm Tucker was another key contributor, scoring 15 points along with six rebounds and five steals.
Meanwhile, Ville de Marie Academy waltzed into their match two weeks ago with three straight wins but they left with four. They blew past A+ Charter School 45-24. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win Ville de Marie Academy has posted since December 5, 2023.
Thunderbird Adventist Academy pushed their record up to 7-1 with that win, which was their fifth straight on the road. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 64.8 points per game. As for Ville de Marie Academy, they have been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 8-3 record this season.
Thunderbird Adventist Academy lost to Ville de Marie Academy at home by a decisive 61-47 margin in their previous meeting back in February of 2023. Can Thunderbird Adventist Academy avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
