The Kennedy Crusaders will head out on the road to face off against the King Jaguars at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
Kennedy is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They breezed past Solorio to the tune of 67-30. The Crusaders haven't had any issues with the Sun Warriors recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Alexander Hernandez
| 01/27/26 vs Solorio | 12 |
| 01/06/26 @ Chicago Washington | 7 |
| 12/09/25 @ Kelly | 4 |
| 01/20/26 @ Hancock | 3 |
| 12/05/25 @ Mansueto | 3 |
| + 4 more games |
Alexander Hernandez was nothing short of spectacular: he dropped a double-double with 21 points and 12 steals. He is becoming a predictor of Kennedy's success: when he posts at least three steals the team is 4-1 (and 5-7 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Kylen Henderson, who shot 60% from the field on his way to 13 points in addition to six boards and five assists.
Kennedy smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 21 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive boards they've posted since back in January of 2025.
Meanwhile, King got the win against St. Francis de Sales on Saturday by a conclusive 77-56. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Jaguars' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Illinois basketball rankings (they are ranked 125th, while the Pioneers are ranked 305th).
King's win came from a few key players that Kennedy will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Tyshaun McPherson, who went 6-for-9 en route to 14 points along with six rebounds and five assists. He is also on a roll when it comes to shooting accuracy, as he's posted one of at least 50% in the last four games he's played. Corey Wellere Jr was another key player, shooting 54% from the field to rack up 17 points.
King's win bumped their record up to 13-8. As for Kennedy, they now have a winning record of 9-8.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Kennedy has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 29.9 boards per game. However, it's not like King struggles in that department as they've been averaging 25 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Kennedy was dealt a bruising 90-24 defeat at the hands of King in their previous matchup back in December of 2024. That game was all but decided by halftime, at which point the Crusaders were down 51-17.
