Preview: Academy of Science and Innovation Ravens vs. Weaver Beavers
The Academy of Science and Innovation Ravens will be staying on the road on Tuesday to face off against the Weaver Beavers at 6:00 p.m. on January 16th. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Last Thursday, in a tight contest that could have gone either way, Academy of Science and Innovation made off with a 61-60 victory over Sports & Medical Sciences Academy.
Jamal Kulaib was his usual excellent self, scoring 25 points along with four steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points he has scored all season. Amari Cruz was another key contributor, scoring 17 points along with six rebounds and three steals.
Meanwhile, after a string of six wins, Weaver's good fortune finally ran out on Friday. They lost to Conard at home by a decisive 82-67 margin. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points Weaver has scored all season.
Weaver's defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of Shaheim Wilson, who scored 16 points, and Madden Cupe who scored 20 points. Cupe is absolutely dominating the point category: he's posted at least 15 every time he's taken the court this season. Another player making a difference was Ja'kai Perry, who scored 12 points.
Academy of Science and Innovation pushed their record up to 8-1 with that victory, which was their third straight on the road. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 66.3 points per game. As for Weaver, their defeat ended a seven-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 6-1.
Tuesday's game is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Academy of Science and Innovation have been dynamite from deep this season, having drained 47% of their threes per game. However, it's not like Weaver struggles in that department as they've nailed 42.1% of their threes per game this season. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Academy of Science and Innovation came up short against Weaver in their previous meeting back in January of 2023, falling 52-45. Can Academy of Science and Innovation avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
