Academy for Classical Education is 0-3 against Spencer since January of 2023 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Academy for Classical Education Gryphons will be playing in front of their home fans against the Spencer Greenwave at 7:30 p.m. The teams are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Academy for Classical Education has struggled recently with three defeats in a row, while Spencer will arrive with three straight victories.
While Academy for Classical Education couldn't quite beat Rutland on Friday, the two-point margin was a huge improvement compared to the 24-point loss they were dealt last Tuesday. Academy for Classical Education fell just short of Rutland by a score of 47-45.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Kaleb Scarbary, who dropped a double-double on ten points and 13 rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Kanyin Oni, who almost dropped a double-double on nine points and nine blocks.
Even though they lost, Academy for Classical Education were working as a unit and finished the game with 17 assists. This was only their 12th loss (out of 17 games) when they've passed the ball that well.
Meanwhile, even though Central scored an imposing 72 points on Tuesday, Spencer still came out on top. Spencer managed a 77-72 victory over Central. Given Spencer's advantage in MaxPreps' Georgia basketball rankings (they are ranked 159th, while Central is ranked 420th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Spencer had a senior duo take command as Joe Dozier dropped a double-double on 16 points and 16 rebounds and Gary Gaither dropped a double-double on 19 points and ten rebounds. Gaither is trending in the right direction, as he's improved his point production for three games straight. Kerry Griffin was another key contributor, scoring 11 points.
Academy for Classical Education has not been sharp recently as the team's lost 13 of their last 14 games, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-16 record this season. As for Spencer, their win bumped their record up to 20-3.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Academy for Classical Education have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 31.5 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Spencer struggles in that department as they've been averaging 39.6 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Academy for Classical Education was taken down by Spencer 78-44 when the teams last played back in January. Will Academy for Classical Education have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
