The Paxon School For Advanced Studies Golden Eagles came tearing into Thursday's match with six straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 19.8 points) and they left with even more momentum. They escaped with a win against Ribault by the margin of a single free throw, 61-60. The victory was all the more spectacular given Paxon School For Advanced Studies' disadvantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 85th, while Ribault is ranked 34th).
Ansley Hicks was her usual excellent self, scoring 33 points. As a matter of fact, that's the most points she has scored all season. Kennedy Waymer was another key contributor, scoring 15 points.
When it comes to explaining why Ribault lost, one person who can't be blamed is Alexzondria Gross. Despite the final result, she went 8 for 14 from beyond the arc en route to 24 points and 2 assists. That's the first time this season that Gross scored 15 or more points. Another player making a difference was Destiny Donaldson, who scored eight points along with five rebounds and five steals.
Even though they lost, Ribault smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive rebounds. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Paxon School For Advanced Studies only pulled down two offensive rebounds.
Paxon School For Advanced Studies' victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 11-5. As for Ribault, their defeat dropped their record down to 11-4.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Paxon School For Advanced Studies the luxury of staying home another game and will welcome North Florida Educational Institute at 6:00 p.m. on January 22nd. Ribault will take on Rutherford at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. Rutherford will be looking to extend their current 14-game winning streak.