Basketball Game Preview: Cristo Rey Tampa Panthers vs. Universal Academy Falcons

The Cristo Rey Tampa Panthers will challenge the Universal Academy Falcons at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.

Having struggled with six defeats in a row, Cristo Rey Tampa turned things around against Pepin Academy on Monday. They came out on top against Pepin Academy by a score of 2-0 (the very same score they lost by in their prior game). For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Panthers have posted since January 25, 2024.

Meanwhile, Universal Academy can bid farewell to their 16-game losing streak dating back to last season thanks to their game on Wednesday. They had just enough and edged Hifz Academy out 39-36.

Cristo Rey Tampa's victory ended a three-game drought at home and bumped them up to 4-7. As for Universal Academy, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-12.

Cristo Rey Tampa was able to grind out a solid victory over Universal Academy in their previous matchup back in December of 2024, winning 55-43. The rematch might be a little tougher for Cristo Rey Tampa since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.