The First Academy and Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy are an even 5-5 against one another since January of 2015, but not for long. The two teams will face off at 5:30 p.m. on January 16th without much rest after finishing up games yesterday. Hopefully The First Academy focused on turnovers this week since the team gave up seven on Friday.
The First Academy suffered their closest loss yet this season on Friday. They fell just short of Lake Highland Prep by a score of 55-52. The First Academy's defeat signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.
Despite their loss, The First Academy saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Lorenzo De jesus, who scored 20 points along with six rebounds, was perhaps the best of all. De jesus has been hot recently, having posted 15 or more points the last four times he's played. Another player making a difference was Max Simmons, who scored 13 points along with five assists.
Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy suffered their biggest defeat yet this season on Saturday. They took a serious blow against Santa Fe Catholic, falling 76-47. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy has scored all season.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Elijah Reynolds, who scored 20 points. Wyatt Chanda was another key contributor, scoring seven points along with 18 rebounds.
Even though they lost, Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 17 offensive rebounds. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Santa Fe Catholic only pulled down four offensive rebounds.
The First Academy's record now sits at 9-6. Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy's record now sits at 12-3.
Keep an eye on the arc in Tuesday's matchup: The First Academy have made nailing deep shots look easy this year this season, having only averaged 5.9 threes per game. It's a different story for Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy, though, as they've been averaging only 6.5 threes per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
The First Academy came up short against Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy in their previous matchup back in January of 2023, falling 75-70. Can The First Academy avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.