The NC GBB Academy National Eagles will take on the Mt. Zion Prep Academy Warriors at 9:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
NC GBB Academy National proved they can win big on Friday (they won by 35) but on Sunday they proved they can win the close ones too. They skirted past 1 of 1 Academy 73-71. Having run the score up that high, both teams probably have some extra defensive drills coming up.
NC GBB Academy National's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Khloe Miller, who scored 17 points along with eight rebounds and four blocks. Jamaria Freeman was another key contributor, scoring 15 points along with three steals.
Meanwhile, it may have taken overtime to finish the job, but Mt. Zion Prep Academy ultimately got the result they hoped for on Monday. They had just enough and edged Riverdale Baptist out 60-58. Given Mt. Zion Prep Academy's advantage in MaxPreps' Maryland basketball rankings (they are ranked eighth, while Riverdale Baptist is ranked 44th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Jniya Weaver continued her habit of posting crazy stat lines, scoring 29 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Londyn Banks, who scored ten points.
NC GBB Academy National now has a winning record of 14-13. As for Mt. Zion Prep Academy, they are on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 14-11 record this season.
Friday's contest is shaping up to be a scrappy game: NC GBB Academy National have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 35.4 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Mt. Zion Prep Academy, though, as they've been averaging only 0.8 rebounds per game. Given NC GBB Academy National's sizable advantage in that area, Mt. Zion Prep Academy will need to find a way to close that gap.
NC GBB Academy National came up short against Mt. Zion Prep Academy in their previous meeting back in January, falling 73-68. Can NC GBB Academy National avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
