If the Academy with Community Partners Lions were feeling good off their 70-39 takedown of Phoenix School of Academic Excellence last Monday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. Academy with Community Partners was dealt a 64-32 defeat at the hands of Southwest Leadership Academy on Friday.
Southwest Leadership Academy's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Serious Sykes, who dropped a double-double on 20 points and 17 rebounds. Sykes is absolutely dominating the rebound category: he's posted at least eight every time he's taken the court this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Ayden Gonzales, who scored 15 points along with nine assists and six rebounds.
Academy with Community Partners' defeat dropped their record down to 1-1. As for Southwest Leadership Academy, they pushed their record up to 4-1 with that victory, which was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Academy with Community Partners will get a bit of extra time to process the loss as their next game is a ways off. They'll take on BASIS - Mesa at 6:30 p.m. on January 4, 2024. As for Southwest Leadership Academy, they will head out on the road to face off against South Ridge at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. South Ridge will have to bring their A-game into this one, as they are staring down a pretty big deficit in the MaxPreps Arizona Rankings (they are ranked 213th, while Southwest Leadership Academy is ranked 87th).
