First Academy has enjoyed a two-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will take on the St. John Lutheran Saints at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
Last Thursday, First Academy was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 36-32 to Redeemer Christian.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Carolina Boque, who scored 14 points along with two steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points she has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Addison Schwartz, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and 13 rebounds.
Meanwhile, St. John Lutheran had already won five in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 25 points), and they went ahead and made it six on Thursday. They had just enough and edged Hernando Christian Academy out 36-33. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory St. John Lutheran has posted yet this season.
St. John Lutheran relied on the efforts of Arisa Ford, who dropped a double-double on ten points and 13 rebounds, and Gracie Sue Rice, who scored 21 points along with seven steals and five rebounds. Rice also posted two+ blocks for the first time this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Audrey Goodson, who scored no points along with seven rebounds and three steals.
First Academy's loss dropped their record down to 5-5. As for St. John Lutheran, their win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-4.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: First Academy have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 28 rebounds per game. However, it's not like St. John Lutheran struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 36 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
First Academy came up short against St. John Lutheran in their previous meeting back in December of 2023, falling 49-40. Can First Academy avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
