Basketball Game Preview: Desert Christian Knights vs. Santa Clarita Christian Cardinals

After both having extra time off, the Desert Christian Knights and the Santa Clarita Christian Cardinals will shake off the cobwebs and challenge one another at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Desert Christian will be looking to extend their current eight-game winning streak.

Desert Christian is headed into the matchup after thoroughly thrashing Paraclete: they outscored them in every quarter. Desert Christian was the clear victor by a 60-34 margin over Paraclete two weeks ago. The Knights have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won five contests by 25 points or more this season.

Abigail Williams

Steals

12/19/24 vs Paraclete	4
12/17/24 @ The Palmdale Aerospace Academy	5
12/16/24 vs Palmdale Academy Charter School	3
12/12/24 @ Vasquez	5
12/10/24 vs Legacy Christian Academy	2

Desert Christian got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Abigail Williams out in front who posted 17 points along with seven rebounds and four steals. Williams has been hot for a while, having posted two or more steals the last nine times she's played. Faith Avila was another key player, putting up 14 points along with five boards and four steals.

Desert Christian smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 12 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 12 offensive rebounds in three consecutive games.

While Santa Clarita Christian didn't have the best season last year (they finished 8-10), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They enjoyed a cozy 50-32 victory over St. Monica Academy two weeks ago.

Desert Christian's win was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 9-3. Those victories came thanks to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 23.4 points per game. As for Santa Clarita Christian, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matches, which provided a nice bump to their 6-4 record this season.

Desert Christian strolled past Santa Clarita Christian when the teams last played back in January by a score of 45-31. The rematch might be a little tougher for Desert Christian since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.