The Holy Cross Lutheran Academy Crusaders will head out to challenge the Crooms Academy Panthers at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Holy Cross Lutheran Academy has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the game with four straight losses, while Crooms Academy will come in with three straight wins.
Holy Cross Lutheran Academy is headed into the match out to prove that what happened against Altamonte Christian on January 9th (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. Holy Cross Lutheran Academy was outmatched by Altamonte Christian and fell 70-40. While losing is never fun, the Crusaders can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 683rd, while the Eagles are ranked 305th).
| 01/09/25 vs Altamonte Christian | 2 |
| 01/07/25 vs Orangewood Christian | 3 |
| 12/13/24 @ Lake Mary Prep | 2 |
| 12/04/24 @ Trinity Prep | 2 |
| 12/03/24 vs Central Florida Leadership | 4 |
| 11/21/24 @ Pace Brantley | 3 |
Despite the defeat, Holy Cross Lutheran Academy had strong showings from Christian King, who went 6 of 13 en route to 15 points, and Keesan Beyah-Bridges, who posted 13 points. Beyah-Bridges is also crushing it when it comes to steals: he's grabbed at least two every time he's taken the court this season. Another player making a difference was Quincy Lee, who scored four points and eight rebounds.
Meanwhile, you can't lose the game if you win every quarter, and that was precisely Crooms Academy's strategy against Orlando Science on Wednesday. Crooms Academy was the clear victor by a 67-46 margin over Orlando Science. The Panthers have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won seven contests by 21 points or more this season.
Crooms Academy's win came from a few key players Holy Cross Lutheran Academy will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Kenai Anderson, who dropped a double-double on 25 points and 12 boards. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in blocks (two). Micah Parker was another key player, dropping a double-double on 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Crooms Academy smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in 22 consecutive games dating back to last season.
Crooms Academy pushed their record up to 11-7 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 72.7 points per game. As for Holy Cross Lutheran Academy, their loss dropped their record down to 2-4.
Keep an eye on the arc in Tuesday's match: Holy Cross Lutheran Academy has been dynamite from deep this season, having made 40.9% of their three-pointers per game. It's a different story for Crooms Academy, though, as they've only made 24.9% of their threes this season. Given Holy Cross Lutheran Academy's sizable advantage in that area, Crooms Academy will need to find a way to close that gap. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
