Basketball Game Preview: Independent Baptist Academy Kings vs. Granite Baptist Academy Guardians

Independent Baptist Academy has gone a perfect 6-0 against Granite Baptist Academy recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Independent Baptist Academy Kings will challenge the Granite Baptist Academy Guardians at 4:00 p.m. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.

Last Friday, Independent Baptist Academy came up short against Lighthouse Baptist Academy and fell 58-50.

Nathan Kirby

Rebounds

02/28/25 vs Lighthouse Baptist Academy	17
02/28/25 vs Frederick Baptist Academy	11
02/25/25 vs Woodlawn Baptist Academy	10
02/07/25 vs Bethel Baptist Academy	10
02/06/25 vs Solid Rock Christian School	5
+ 9 more games

The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Nathan Kirby, who dropped a double-double with 15 points and 17 rebounds. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 8.1 boards per game. Another player making a difference was Jacob Rainey, who dropped a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds.

Even though they lost, Independent Baptist Academy smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 29 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive boards they've posted since back in December of 2024.

Meanwhile, Granite Baptist Academy was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap on Friday as they fell 46-40 to Milford Christian. While losing is never fun, the Guardians can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' basketball rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked 237th in Maryland, while the Conquerors are ranked 62nd in Delaware).

Granite Baptist Academy has also traveled a rocky road recently, having lost six of their last eight matches. That's put a noticeable dent in their 5-8 record this season. Independent Baptist Academy's defeat dropped their record down to 13-7.

Independent Baptist Academy skirted past Granite Baptist Academy 31-29 in their previous meeting back in February. The rematch might be a little tougher for Independent Baptist Academy since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.