Two dominant guards in Deshawn Hall and Joshua Thompson are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Valiant Cross Academy Warriors will square off against the Bessemer Academy Rebels at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Valiant Cross Academy is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They strolled past Macon-East Montgomery Academy with points to spare, taking the game 58-39. The Warriors haven't had any issues with the Knights recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive victory against them.
| 02/07/25 @ Macon-East Montgomery Academy | 12 |
| 02/03/25 @ Fort Dale Academy | 12 |
| 01/30/25 @ Hooper Academy | 13 |
| 01/28/25 @ Evangel Christian Academy | 12 |
| 01/27/25 vs Lowndes Academy | 12 |
| + 47 more games |
Valiant Cross Academy found their leader in sophomore Hall, who dropped a double-double on 22 points and 12 boards. Hall has been hot for a while, having posted eight or more rebounds the last 52 times he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Jordan Archie, who posted 11 points.
Valiant Cross Academy smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 25 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 21 offensive boards in three consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Bessemer Academy humbled Restoration Academy with a 74-31 victory. The Rebels have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won ten contests by 23 points or more this season.
Bessemer Academy's win came from a few key players Valiant Cross Academy will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Thompson, who put up 16 points and four steals. Jackson Rinehart was another key player, putting up eight points and eight steals.
Valiant Cross Academy's win bumped their record up to 23-5. As for Bessemer Academy, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won nine of their last ten games, which provided a nice bump to their 17-2 record this season.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Valiant Cross Academy has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 56.5 boards per game. However, it's not like Bessemer Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 41 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
