Basketball Game Preview: Peachtree Academy Panthers vs. Lanier Christian Academy Lightning

Peachtree Academy hasn't had much luck against Lanier Christian Academy recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Peachtree Academy Panthers will challenge the Lanier Christian Academy Lightning at 7:30 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: both posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

Last Monday, Peachtree Academy was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 62-56 to Alleluia Community.

Despite their defeat, Peachtree Academy saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Caleb Jackson, who posted 21 points, was perhaps the best of all. The matchup was Jackson's third in a row with at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Julian Baluta, who went 7 of 16 on his way to 16 points along with eight boards and five assists.

Meanwhile, Lanier Christian Academy played a tough game on Monday in which they were outscored in every quarter. They took a blow against Lakeview Academy, falling 92-60. The Lightning's loss signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.

Peachtree Academy will have to keep a close watch on Xavier Barber and Emmitt Tracy, a pair of players who had a big impact on Lanier Christian Academy's prior game. Barber went 6 for 11 en route to 18 points, while Tracy scored 11 points and five rebounds. Jacob Batusic also deserves some recognition as he grabbed his first steal of the season.

Lanier Christian Academy's defeat ended a four-game streak of away wins and brought them to 14-4. As for Peachtree Academy, their loss dropped their record down to 5-13.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Peachtree Academy has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 27.6 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Lanier Christian Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 31.9 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

Peachtree Academy was taken down by Lanier Christian Academy 92-36 in their previous matchup two weeks ago. That contest was all but decided by halftime, at which point Peachtree Academy was down 48-18.