Preview: Christian Academy Warriors vs. Cannelton Bulldogs
Having just played yesterday, the Christian Academy Warriors will head out on the road to face off against the Cannelton Bulldogs at 6:30 p.m. on January 23rd. Hopefully Christian Academy focused on turnovers this week since the team gave up 11 on Monday.
Christian Academy scored the most points they've had all season to find success. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Jeffersontown 63-10 on the road. The victory was just what Christian Academy needed coming off of a 66-30 defeat in their prior game.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Christian Academy to victory, but perhaps none more so than Leah Stevens, who went 6 for 10 from beyond the arc en route to 22 points and 3 assists. Stevens continues to roll, besting her previous point total in each of the last three games she's played. Another player making a difference was Alexus Bryant, who scored 18 points.
Meanwhile, Cannelton's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Saturday after their third straight loss. They were outmatched by Lighthouse Christian Academy on the road and fell 68-34. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest loss Cannelton has suffered since December 4, 2023.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Kylie Anastasiades, who scored 12 points along with six rebounds. Jaliyah Little was another key contributor, scoring nine points.
Cannelton struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only four offensive rebounds. They were crushed by their opponents in that department as Lighthouse Christian Academy pulled down 12 offensive rebounds.
Christian Academy is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last eight games, which provided a massive bump to their 9-11 record this season. As for Cannelton, their loss dropped their record down to 1-17.
Tuesday's game is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Christian Academy have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 29.2 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Cannelton struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 23.2 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Everything went Christian Academy's way against Cannelton when the teams last played back in December of 2022 as Christian Academy made off with a 52-32 win. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Cannelton's Kendall Hale, who dropped a double-double on 24 points and 12 rebounds. Now that she won't be playing on Tuesday, will it be that much easier for Christian Academy to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
