The Pope John Paul II Knights came tearing into Thursday's contest with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 18.7 points) and they left with even more momentum. They snuck past Montgomery Bell Academy with a 68-62 win. Given Pope John Paul II's advantage in MaxPreps' Tennessee basketball rankings (they are ranked eighth, while Montgomery Bell Academy is ranked 51st), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Pope John Paul II's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Fred Bailey led the charge by scoring 24 points along with eight rebounds and three steals. The game was Bailey's fourth in a row with at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Trey Pearson, who scored 18 points along with five steals.
Pope John Paul II's victory bumped their record up to 13-2. As for Montgomery Bell Academy, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-3.
Pope John Paul II will be playing at home against Brentwood Academy at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. One thing working in Brentwood Academy's favor is that they have posted big point totals in their last four contests. As for Montgomery Bell Academy, they will head out on the road to face off against Christ Presbyterian Academy at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
