Having just played yesterday, the Sparta Academy Warriors will head out on the road to face off against the Edgewood Academy Wildcats at 4:30 p.m. on December 15th. Hopefully Sparta Academy focused on turnovers this week since the team gave up 16 on Thursday.
Sparta Academy managed to keep up with Hooper Academy until halftime, but things quickly went downhill from there. Sparta Academy suffered a rough 62-41 loss at the hands of Hooper Academy.
Despite the defeat, Sparta Academy saw an underclassman step up: Murfee Williams scored nine points along with five rebounds and four blocks. Those four blocks set a new season-high mark for him. The team also got some help courtesy of Jud Robinson, who scored eight points along with five rebounds.
Meanwhile, Edgewood Academy fought the good fight in their overtime matchup against Abbeville Christian Academy on Tuesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell 68-61 to the Generals. Having run the score up that high, both teams probably have some extra defensive drills coming up.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Johnny Groves, who scored 20 points along with six rebounds. Those 20 points set a new season-high mark for him. Another player making a difference was Brody Whitt, who scored 14 points along with three steals.
Even though they lost, Edgewood Academy were working as a unit and finished the game with 13 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.
Sparta Academy has traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost three of their last four contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 4-6 record this season. Edgewood Academy's record is now 5-7.
Friday's contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Sparta Academy have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 31.5 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Edgewood Academy, though, as they've been averaging only 25.9 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Sparta Academy came up short against Edgewood Academy in their previous meeting back in November, falling 50-43. Can Sparta Academy avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
