The Jefferson Independent Day Cavaliers will take on the New Heights Christian Academy Cougars in a tournament on Tuesday. Jefferson Independent Day is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 56.9 points per game this season.
Last Friday, Jefferson Independent Day came up short against Gloria Deo Academy and fell 62-50. The Cavaliers have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
| 01/31/25 @ Gloria Deo Academy | 26 |
| 01/30/25 @ Golden City | 32 |
| 01/28/25 vs Northeast Vernon County | 20 |
| 01/25/25 vs Northeast Vernon County | 26 |
| 01/23/25 vs Pierce City | 17 |
Despite the loss, Jefferson Independent Day got top-tier performance from Jack Twiss, who went 10 of 15 on his way to 26 points and three steals. Twiss' evening made it five games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Kohl Thurman, who posted six points along with seven boards and three blocks.
Meanwhile, New Heights Christian Academy entered their tilt with Wheaton on Friday with seven consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with eight. They claimed a resounding 81-28 victory over the Bulldogs. The Cougars have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won six matchups by 25 points or more this season.
New Heights Christian Academy's win came from a few key players Jefferson Independent Day will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jadon Smith, who went 7 for 10 en route to 18 points. He has been hot recently, having also posted two or more steals the last three times he's played. Jayce Walker was another key player, going 7 of 12 on his way to 15 points and five steals.
New Heights Christian Academy smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 20 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in eight consecutive contests.
Jefferson Independent Day's defeat dropped their record down to 10-8. As for New Heights Christian Academy, they pushed their record up to 14-4 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Jefferson Independent Day has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 30.3 rebounds per game. However, it's not like New Heights Christian Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 34.9 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Jefferson Independent Day was dealt a bruising 87-30 loss at the hands of New Heights Christian Academy in their previous matchup back in February of 2024. That game was all but decided by halftime, at which point Jefferson Independent Day was down 50-21.
