The Noble Academy has enjoyed a two-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will square off against the Rowe-Clark Masai Lions at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Given that both teams suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this contest.
Last Tuesday, things could have been worse for The Noble Academy, but they could have been a whole lot better as they took a 60-46 loss to Butler. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for The Noble Academy in their matchups with Butler: they've now lost three in a row.
Meanwhile, this season hasn't been kind to Rowe-Clark, who are still winless after their fifth contest. Their tough 73-47 defeat to Northridge on Tuesday might stick with them for a while. While losing is never fun, Rowe-Clark can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Illinois basketball rankings (they are ranked 748th, while Northridge is ranked 327th).
Despite their defeat, Rowe-Clark saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Jurrel Buford, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and ten rebounds, was perhaps the best of all. The contest was Buford's fifth in a row with at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Taijuan Bloomingberg, who dropped a double-double on ten points and 11 rebounds.
Even though they lost, Rowe-Clark were working as a unit and finished the game with ten assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.
The Noble Academy's loss was their third straight at home, which bumped their record down to 0-6. That rough patch could be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they only averaged 27.3 points per game. Rowe-Clark's record now sits at 0-5.
The Noble Academy came up short against Rowe-Clark in their previous matchup back in January, falling 43-39. Can The Noble Academy avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
