As the playoffs approach, Pinecrest Academy (Cumming, GA) finds itself facing a monumental challenge. The team will play an away playoff game today at Valor Christian (Alpharetta, GA) at noon, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. These two high school basketball teams have faced off multiple times this season, with Valor Christian dominating the past matchups.

Team Records and Performance Breakdown

Pinecrest Academy heads into the game with an overall record of 11-6, and a 6-2 region record. The team has put up 609 points while allowing 613 throughout the season, showing a solid but sometimes shaky defense. The team averages 35.8 points per game, with consistent performance in quarters 2 and 3, where they score 8.7 and 6.7 points, respectively. Despite their strong win percentage of .647, Pinecrest has struggled against powerhouse teams like Valor Christian.

Valor Christian, on the other hand, boasts a staggering 25-2 record and an undefeated 8-0 record in their region. Their offense has been formidable, averaging 65.9 points per game, significantly higher than Pinecrest’s. With a strong defensive record allowing just 851 points in total, Valor Christian has dominated most of their matchups. Their team scoring averages are even more impressive, with 19.3 points per game in the first quarter alone, making them a fast-starting team that tends to wear opponents down early.

Recent Head-to-Head

In their most recent encounters, Valor Christian has been in firm control. In a game played on January 14th, Valor Christian crushed Pinecrest with a 62-18 victory. Pinecrest struggled to get anything going offensively, with a meager 18 points across four quarters. Another recent game, played on January 29th, saw Pinecrest fall 57-19 in a similar one-sided affair. Despite their best efforts, Pinecrest could not match Valor Christian’s intensity.

Key Players to Watch

• Pinecrest Academy:

  • Alyssa Mullholand: Leading the team with 16.7 points per game, Mullholand is one of the top offensive threats for Pinecrest. She also leads in steals with 3.7 per game, offering some defensive resilience.
  • Geory LaMark: Leading the team in rebounds, LaMark’s presence in the paint could be key to slowing down Valor’s high-powered offense.

• Valor Christian:

  • Lia Schaefer: Averaging 23.6 points per game, Schaefer has been a dominant force for Valor Christian.
  • Hannah Williams: With 9.8 rebounds per game, Williams has controlled the boards, which will be crucial for maintaining possession in this match.

Common Opponents

Both teams have faced off against several common opponents this season, and Valor Christian has come out on top in every instance, holding a perfect 10-0 record against these teams. In contrast, Pinecrest Academy has an impressive 7-1 record against these same teams. Their loss, however, came against Valor Christian’s arch-rival, St. John Bosco Academy, earlier in the season, showing the gap in competition level.

Playoff Preview

With the playoffs starting today, Pinecrest will have to overcome a formidable opponent in Valor Christian. They will need to shore up their defense, find a way to slow down the fast-paced offense of Valor Christian, and execute on offense, where they have occasionally struggled. On the other hand, Valor Christian will look to extend their dominance with their high-scoring attack, focusing on maintaining their perfect playoff record.

As the game tips off today at 12 PM, all eyes will be on whether Pinecrest can pull off an upset, or if Valor Christian will continue its journey toward an undefeated playoff run.