The St. Joseph Academy Crusaders will be taking part in a tournament against the Fallbrook Warriors at 12:50 p.m. on Monday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: both posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
Having struggled with four defeats in a row, St. Joseph Academy turned things around against San Dieguito Academy on Saturday. They blew past the Mustangs, posting a 74-45 victory.
St. Joseph Academy's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Dominic Gale, who posted 17 points. Another player making a difference was Justice Ahiafor, who had 17 points.
Meanwhile, Fallbrook came into Saturday's matchup having lost three straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They claimed a resounding 80-35 victory over Bourgade Catholic. The Warriors have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won six contests by 25 points or more this season.
Fallbrook's win came from a few key players St. Joseph Academy will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Petey Pizzo, who went 10 of 16 en route to 23 points along with six steals and five boards. He is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in the last nine games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Elliott Watkins, who dropped a double-double on 25 points and 11 rebounds.
Fallbrook smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 19 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 12 offensive rebounds in three consecutive games.
St. Joseph Academy's record now sits at 4-7. As for Fallbrook, their record is now 10-4.
Some high-performance offense is likely on the agenda as the two teams are some of the highest scoring teams in the league. St. Joseph Academy hasn't had any problem running up the score this season, having averaged 61.7 points per game. However, it's not like Fallbrook struggles in that department as they've been averaging 70.4 points. With both teams so easily able to put up points, the only question left is who can run the score up higher.
St. Joseph Academy was able to grind out a solid win over Fallbrook in their previous matchup back in January of 2023, winning 66-53. Will St. Joseph Academy repeat their success, or does Fallbrook have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
