Basketball Game Preview: St. John Paul II Academy Eagles vs. Grandview Prep Pride

The St. John Paul II Academy Eagles will venture away from home to challenge the Grandview Prep Pride at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. St. John Paul II Academy knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 55 points or more in their past 15 matchups -- so hopefully Grandview Prep likes a good challenge.

Last Friday, St. John Paul II Academy strolled past Lake Worth Christian with points to spare, taking the game 69-53.

St. John Paul II Academy's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Dior Johnson, who went 8 for 16 en route to 18 points and three steals. Johnson's evening made it five games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Sebastian Mesa, who went 5 of 9 on his way to 11 points in addition to seven boards and six assists.

St. John Paul II Academy was working as a unit and finished the game with 18 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Lake Worth Christian only racked up 12 assists.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Grandview Prep, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Saturday. They secured a 68-64 W over American Heritage on Wednesday.

Grandview Prep is also on a roll lately: they've won ten of their last 13 contests, which provided a nice bump to their 14-5 record this season. As for St. John Paul II Academy, their win bumped their record up to 12-9.

St. John Paul II Academy barely slipped by Grandview Prep in their previous meeting back in December of 2023, winning 72-71. The rematch might be a little tougher for St. John Paul II Academy since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.