The Steward Spartans will square off against the Peninsula Catholic Knights at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
On Tuesday, Steward didn't have too much trouble with Nansemond-Suffolk Academy as they won 80-66. The win continues a trend for the Spartans in their matchups with the Saints: they've now won nine in a row.
Niles Mason
| 01/14/26 vs Cristo Rey | 11 |
| 01/16/26 @ Catholic | 11 |
| 02/05/26 vs Grace Christian School | 12 |
| 02/06/26 vs Norfolk Collegiate | 12 |
| 12/13/25 @ Trinity Episcopal | 14 |
Steward found their leader in freshman Niles Mason, who dropped a double-double with 32 points and 12 boards. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Mason has scored all season. The team also got some help courtesy of Blake Watkins, who went 9-for-16 on his way to 20 points.
Meanwhile, Peninsula Catholic posted their closest victory since January 3rd on Tuesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Cape Henry Collegiate, sneaking past 74-71. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Knights' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Virginia basketball rankings (they are ranked 56th, while the Dolphins are ranked 253rd).
Peninsula Catholic's win came from a few key players that Steward will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Anderson Allen, who shot 46% from the field to rack up 29 points and five rebounds. Those 29 points gave him a new career-high. Jordan Carr was another key player, going 9-for-22 en route to 25 points and seven boards.
Steward now has a winning record of 12-11. As for Peninsula Catholic, their win bumped their record up to 20-7.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Steward has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 25.7 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Peninsula Catholic struggles in that department as they've been averaging 23.7 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Steward came up short against Peninsula Catholic in their previous meeting back in January of 2025, falling 43-39. Will the Spartans have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
