Basketball Preview: Gaston Christian Eagles vs. Metrolina Christian Academy Warriors
Gaston Christian is 1-9 against Metrolina Christian Academy since December of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Gaston Christian Eagles will host the Metrolina Christian Academy Warriors at 5:30 p.m.
Metrolina Christian Academy is facing Gaston Christian at the wrong time: Gaston Christian suffered their first home loss of the season last Friday and they're likely out for redemption. They took a 43-33 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Lions. The match marked the Eagles' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Claudia Sanchez, who scored 11 points in addition to three steals. Sanchez is crushing it when it comes to steals: she's grabbed at least two every time she's taken the court this season. Another player making a difference was Emily Haux, who scored eight points along with five rebounds and five steals.
Even though they lost, Gaston Christian smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in six consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Metrolina Christian Academy, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Thursday. They took down Charlotte Christian 54-40 on Tuesday.
Metrolina Christian Academy can attribute much of their success to Emily King, who went 10 for 24 en route to 28 points plus six rebounds and two steals, and Addy Sailer, who went 5 for 8 en route to 12 points plus five assists and two steals. With that strong performance, King is now averaging an impressive 18 points per game. Jenna Carlson was another key player, earning two points in addition to 13 rebounds and three steals.
Gaston Christian's defeat dropped their record down to 4-2. As for Metrolina Christian Academy, the win got them back to even at 2-2.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Gaston Christian has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 36.2 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Metrolina Christian Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 27.8. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Gaston Christian came up short against Metrolina Christian Academy when the teams last played back in January, falling 53-43. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Metrolina Christian Academy's Alaina Griffin, who dropped a triple-double on 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 steals. Now that Gaston Christian knows the damage she can cause, will they be able to stop her this time? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
