Basketball Game Preview: Southwest SD Raiders vs. Maranatha Christian Eagles

The Southwest SD Raiders will challenge the Maranatha Christian Eagles at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. Southwest SD is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last seven games.

Southwest SD is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They skirted past Rancho Bernardo 59-56.

Khalid Deiranieh

Points

02/26/25 vs Rancho Bernardo	23
02/21/25 vs Fallbrook	15
02/18/25 vs Valley Center	22

It was another big night for Khalid Deiranieh, who posted 23 points. The game was his third in a row with at least 15 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Shaun Verdida, who scored 13 points.

Meanwhile, Maranatha Christian entered their tilt with Coronado on Wednesday with two consecutive wins , and they'll enter their next game with three. They came within six points of losing the streak, but they secured a 54-48 W against the Islanders. That's two games straight that the Eagles have won by exactly six points.

Southwest SD better keep an eye on Will Ralston. He was instrumental in Maranatha Christian's win, dropping a double-double with 19 points and ten rebounds. Ralston has become a key player for Maranatha Christian: the team is undefeated when he posts at least ten boards, but 11-15 otherwise. Shane Piester was another key player, shooting 42% from the field to rack up 11 points and eight rebounds.

Maranatha Christian now has a winning record of 16-15. As for Southwest SD, their record now sits at 25-6.

Southwest SD came up short against Maranatha Christian in their previous matchup back in December of 2021, falling 54-41. Can Southwest SD avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.