Basketball Game Preview: Avalon Black Knights vs. Lanham Christian Lions

The Avalon Black Knights will be defending their home court for the first time this season when they go up against the Lanham Christian Lions at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. Avalon knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 55 points or more in their past five matches -- so hopefully Lanham Christian likes a good challenge.

Avalon saw some tournament action on Saturday. They walked away with a 72-65 win over KIPP DC Legacy College Prep. The victory was all the more spectacular given the Black Knights' disadvantage in MaxPreps' basketball rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked 149th in Maryland, while the Bulldogs are ranked ninth in District of Columbia).

Meanwhile, Lanham Christian had already won nine in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 13.1 points) and they went ahead and made it ten last Saturday. They blew past the Warriors 72-49. That 23 point margin sets a new team best for the Lions this season.

Lanham Christian had a senior duo take command as Trey Ray dropped a double-double on 29 points and 11 rebounds and Dominic Carr dropped a double-double on 17 points and 18 rebounds. Those 18 boards set a new season-high mark for Carr. The team also got some help courtesy of Jamar Payen, who posted 11 points and seven rebounds.

Lanham Christian smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 35 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in 11 consecutive contests.

Lanham Christian's win bumped their record up to 10-4. As for Avalon, their victory bumped their record up to 6-8.

Avalon might still be hurting after the 69-43 loss they got from Lanham Christian in their previous meeting back in February of 2024. Will Avalon have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.