Basketball Game Preview: Franklin Academy Patriots vs. Wake Prep Academy Guardians

The Franklin Academy Patriots will take on the Wake Prep Academy Guardians at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Franklin Academy has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the matchup with three straight losses, while Wake Prep Academy will come in with three straight wins.

Franklin Academy is headed into the game having just suffered their biggest defeat since November 12, 2024 on Tuesday. They lost 49-29 to North Johnston. While losing is never fun, the Patriots can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 323rd, while the Panthers are ranked 81st).

Despite the loss, Franklin Academy saw an underclassman step up: freshman Bella DeLiso posted eight points and three steals. Another player making a difference was Iliana Rodriguez, who had seven points and nine rebounds.

Even though they lost, Franklin Academy smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 11 offensive boards in 13 consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Wake Prep Academy had just enough and edged Falls Lake out 43-40 on Tuesday.

Wake Prep Academy's win came from a few key players Franklin Academy will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Karly Beckstrand, who put up four points in addition to 11 boards and eight steals. Beckstrand is crushing it when it comes to steals: she's grabbed at least three every time she's taken the court this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Olivia Langton, who posted 13 points and five rebounds.

Wake Prep Academy's victory bumped their record up to 9-3. As for Franklin Academy, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-6.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Franklin Academy has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 37.9 boards per game. However, it's not like Wake Prep Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 26.9 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

Franklin Academy skirted past Wake Prep Academy 29-27 when the teams last played back in November of 2022. Does Franklin Academy have another victory up their sleeve, or will Wake Prep Academy turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.