Basketball Game Preview: Cardinal Newman Crusaders vs. Palm Beach Central Broncos

The Cardinal Newman Crusaders will square off against the Palm Beach Central Broncos at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.

Cardinal Newman took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 60-57 win over Somerset College Prep Academy. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Crusaders as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.

Cardinal Newman's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Katie Kent led the charge by going 10 of 18 on her way to 27 points and five rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Noelle Coyne, who dropped a double-double on 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Cardinal Newman smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 27 offensive boards. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Somerset College Prep Academy only pulled down seven offensive rebounds.

Meanwhile, Palm Beach Central posted their closest win since January 2, 2024 on Thursday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past Boynton Beach 49-46. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Broncos.

Cardinal Newman pushed their record up to 7-9 with the win, which was their third straight at home. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 54.7 points per game. As for Palm Beach Central, their victory bumped their record up to 6-9.

Cardinal Newman came up short against Palm Beach Central when the teams last played back in January of 2021, falling 51-46. Can Cardinal Newman avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.