Preview: Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders vs. Athens Drive Jaguars
Cardinal Gibbons is 6-1 against Athens Drive since November of 2018, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders will be playing at home against the Athens Drive Jaguars at 6:00 p.m. Cardinal Gibbons is coming into the game hot, having won their last ten games.
Cardinal Gibbons can now show off seven landslide victories after their most recent match on Tuesday. They breezed by Sanderson at home to the tune of 68-13. While fans of Cardinal Gibbons might be used to big wins, the 55-point margin marked the team's biggest victory yet this season.
Kaylee Fitzsimmons had a dynamite game for Cardinal Gibbons, as she made all 6 shots she took from beyond the arc racking up 20 points and 2 assists. It was the first time this season that Fitzsimmons scored 15 or more points. Another player making a difference was Tessa Gladieux, who scored eight points along with five rebounds and five steals.
Cardinal Gibbons used a slightly different lineup for their bout with Sanderson. Three players got more time on the court than they're used to: Cat Royster (19), Fiona Mcgowan (ten), and Izzy Cronin (11). The trio had averaged 7.5, 4.64, and 4.36 minutes respectively before Tuesday's game. Royster made the most of the opportunity, scoring seven points. A few more games like that and she might be seeing even more time going forward.
Meanwhile, Athens Drive lost a heartbreaker to Broughton when they met back in February of 2023, and they left with a heavy heart again on Tuesday. Athens Drive received a tough blow as they fell 59-43 to Broughton. Athens Drive has not had much luck with Broughton recently, as the team's come up short the last two times they've met.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Kianna Gulley, who scored eight points along with two steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Quincie Toran, who scored nine points.
Cardinal Gibbons has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won 12 of their last 13 matches, which provided a nice bump to their 16-7 record this season. As for Athens Drive, their defeat dropped their record down to 9-14.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Cardinal Gibbons have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 28.9 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Athens Drive struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Cardinal Gibbons strolled past Athens Drive in their previous meeting back in January by a score of 42-28. Does Cardinal Gibbons have another victory up their sleeve, or will Athens Drive turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
