Basketball Game Preview: Concord Christian Academy Minutemen vs. Greenwood Mennonite Flames

Concord Christian Academy hasn't had much luck against Greenwood Mennonite recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The two teams will compete for holiday cheer at 5:00 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Last Friday, Concord Christian Academy strolled past Faith Baptist School with points to spare, taking the game 52-36.

Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Concord Christian Academy to victory, but perhaps none more so than Gabriel Franco, who went 8 for 20 on his way to 19 points in addition to three steals and three blocks. Those 19 points gave Franco a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Tim Praveen - HS, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Greenwood Mennonite put another one in the bag on Monday to keep their perfect season alive. The stars were shining brightly for them in a 69-50 victory over Varsity Opponent. The Flames' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.

Concord Christian Academy better focus on containing Carter Long and Blake Mast as the pair were huge in Greenwood Mennonite's win. Long went 8 of 11 on his way to 22 points and five steals, while Mast went 6 of 8 on his way to 19 points. Long is crushing it when it comes to steals: he's grabbed at least two every time he's taken the court this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Jude Harrison, who posted eight points along with six assists and five boards.

Greenwood Mennonite was working as a unit and finished the game with 14 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.

Greenwood Mennonite's win was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 8-0. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 57.5 points per game. As for Concord Christian Academy, the victory got them back to even at 1-1.

Concord Christian Academy beat Greenwood Mennonite 41-32 in their previous meeting back in February. The rematch might be a little tougher for Concord Christian Academy since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.