Peachtree Academy hasn't had much luck against Lanier Christian Academy recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Peachtree Academy Panthers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Lanier Christian Academy Lightning at 7:30 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Having struggled with five defeats in a row, Peachtree Academy turned things around against Trinity Christian School of Griffin on Tuesday. They came out on top against the LIONS by a score of 58-49. That looming 58-49 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Panthers yet this season.
Liam Abraham and Caleb Jackson were among the main playmakers for Peachtree Academy as the former dropped a double-double on 14 points and 16 boards and the latter went 7 of 15 on his way to 16 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Jordi Bello, who posted six points and five rebounds.
Meanwhile, Lanier Christian Academy didn't have too much breathing room in their game against Horizon Christian Academy on Tuesday, but they still walked away with a 67-62 victory. Given the Lightning's advantage in MaxPreps' Georgia basketball rankings (they are ranked 120th, while the Warriors are ranked 252nd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Peachtree Academy better keep an eye on Mekhi Barber. He was instrumental in Lanier Christian Academy's win, dropping a double-double on 21 points and 15 boards. Barber's evening made it three games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Emmitt Tracy, who went 6 of 10 on his way to 14 points and three steals.
Lanier Christian Academy smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive rebounds in three consecutive contests.
Lanier Christian Academy's win bumped their record up to 12-3. As for Peachtree Academy, their victory bumped their record up to 4-8.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Peachtree Academy has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 27.1 boards per game. However, it's not like Lanier Christian Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 31.5 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Peachtree Academy came up short against Lanier Christian Academy in their previous meeting back in January of 2024, falling 77-68. Will Peachtree Academy have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other basketball content.
