Basketball Game Preview: Elder Panthers vs. St. Xavier Bombers

The Elder Panthers will head out to face off against the St. Xavier Bombers at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Elder has given up an average of 53.2 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

On Wednesday, Elder ended up a good deal behind Oak Hills and lost 58-39. While losing is never fun, the Panthers can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked 279th, while the Highlanders are ranked 33rd).

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for St. Xavier, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. They snuck past Summit Country Day with a 55-49 victory on Wednesday. The win was some much needed relief for the Bombers as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.

Elder has been struggling recently as they've lost five of their last six games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 5-10 record this season. As for St. Xavier, their victory bumped their record up to 10-5.

Elder might still be hurting after the 54-30 defeat they got from St. Xavier when the teams last played on January 9th. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.