Basketball Game Preview: First Baptist Academy Lions vs. Bell Creek Academy Panthers

A feisty cat fight will be fought as the Lions take on the Panthers at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Both teams are coming into the match red-hot, with First Baptist Academy sitting on four straight wins and Bell Creek Academy on three.

First Baptist Academy is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They took down Carrollwood Day 65-47. Given the Lions' advantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 98th, while the Patriots are ranked 277th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Meanwhile, Bell Creek Academy posted their closest victory since December 2, 2024 on Wednesday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 67-64 win over Clearwater Central Catholic.

First Baptist Academy better keep an eye on Lyrique Sartin. He was instrumental in Bell Creek Academy's win, going 9-for-18 en route to 30 points and six assists. The game was Sartin's 25th in a row with at least 15 points. Another player making a difference was Josiah Payne, who posted ten points and eight rebounds.

First Baptist Academy's victory bumped their record up to 26-2. As for Bell Creek Academy, their win bumped their record up to 17-10.