The College Prep & Leadership Academy Royals will take on the Cornerstone Charter Cardinals at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday. College Prep & Leadership Academy is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 66.3 points per game this season.
On Saturday, College Prep & Leadership Academy came up short against Grimsley and fell 55-46. The loss was a bit of a surprise, as the Royals came into the game with a sizable advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 96th, while the Whirlies are ranked 232nd).
Robert Knotts put forth a good effort for the losing side as he went 7 for 15 on his way to 19 points. He is trending in the right direction considering he's improved his point production for four straight games. The team also got some help courtesy of Bryce Mckenzie, who posted seven points.
Meanwhile, Cornerstone Charter posted their closest win since November 14, 2024 on Friday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 69-66 victory over Phoenix Academy.
College Prep & Leadership Academy better focus on containing Lake Bristol and Tyler Smith as the pair were huge in Cornerstone Charter's win. Bristol went 9 of 12 on his way to 25 points and six rebounds, while Smith dropped a double-double on 19 points and ten rebounds. Smith is becoming a predictor of Cornerstone Charter's success: when he posts at least ten boards the team is 7-2 (and 1-2 when he doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Brandon Sorrels, who had 11 points.
Cornerstone Charter was working as a unit and finished the game with 21 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.
Cornerstone Charter's win bumped their record up to 8-4. As for College Prep & Leadership Academy, their defeat dropped their record down to 10-2.
Tuesday's matchup is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: College Prep & Leadership Academy just can't miss this season, having made 48.3% of their field goals per game. However, it's not like Cornerstone Charter struggles in that department as they've made 49.2% of their field goals this season. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Everything came up roses for College Prep & Leadership Academy against Cornerstone Charter when the teams last played back in February of 2024, as the team secured an 87-20 victory. Does College Prep & Leadership Academy have another victory up their sleeve, or will Cornerstone Charter turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
