Calvary Academy hasn't had much luck against Atlantic Christian recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The two teams will compete for holiday cheer at 5:30 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
On Tuesday, the stars were shining brightly for Calvary Academy in a 49-31 win over Abundant Life Academy.
Calvary Academy's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jalen Li, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 16 boards. The team also got some help courtesy of Kieran Riccobono, who went 6 of 12 on his way to 16 points and six assists.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Atlantic Christian). They blew past Camden County Vo-Tech, posting a 76-49 win. The Cougars have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won four games by 22 points or more this season.
Atlantic Christian's win came from a few key players Calvary Academy will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Noah Stokes, who went 7 of 10 on his way to 18 points along with seven rebounds and three steals. He is also on a roll when it comes to blocks, as he's now posted two or more in the last three games he's played. Charlie Costello was another key player, going 7 for 10 on his way to 18 points and five rebounds.
Atlantic Christian pushed their record up to 6-4 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 27.7 points. As for Calvary Academy, they now have a winning record of 2-1.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Calvary Academy has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 33.7 boards per game. However, it's not like Atlantic Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 26.2 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Calvary Academy was taken down by Atlantic Christian 80-38 when the teams last played back in February. Can Calvary Academy avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
