Cristo Rey Jesuit has put together an excellent season, even after losing standout forward Jericho Sims to the University of Texas. The Pumas (16-3, 6-1) have gone on two separate eight-game winning streaks and have put themselves in position to make a run at the TCAC-Div 1 Conference title.
Youth production and a dash of experience has been the recipe for the Pumas' success this season. Sophomore James Sommer leads the team with 20.2 ppg, while senior Franklin Doyle (17 ppg) and freshman Eric Burgess (10.8 ppg) have helped Cristo Rey Jesuit average over 72 points per game.
This matchup will be the last of a much-improved regular season for the Charter Stars. After going 9-19 last season, the Charter Stars (15-6, 6-2) have rebounded nicely, led by an experienced senior class.
Taye Carter has stepped up his offensive production this season, scoring 21.9 ppg after averaging 17.4 ppg in 2016-17. Fellow senior Brett McNeal has also significantly upped his scoring, going from 6.8 ppg to 16.9 ppg. The Charter Stars don't have enough games left to secure the regular season conference title, but a win against a strong Cristo Rey Jesuit squad would give them plenty of momentum before the TCAC Conference tournament, which begins Feb. 26.