Basketball Game Preview: Elyria Catholic Panthers vs. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy Royals

The Elyria Catholic Panthers will venture away from home to square off against the Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy Royals at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Last Wednesday, Elyria Catholic didn't have too much trouble with North Ridgeville as they won 48-34. Given the Panthers' advantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked 58th, while the Rangers are ranked 366th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Meanwhile, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy waltzed into their matchup on Wednesday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They took their contest with ease, bagging a 56-17 win over the Blue Streaks. That looming 56-17 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Royals yet this season.

Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy's victory was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-5. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 51.5 points per game. As for Elyria Catholic, they are on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six games, which provided a nice bump to their 10-3 record this season.

Elyria Catholic didn't have too much breathing room in their matchup against Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy when the teams last played back in November of 2024, but they still walked away with a 42-38 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Elyria Catholic since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.