Preview: San Joaquin Memorial Panthers vs. Modesto Christian Crusaders
Having just played yesterday, the San Joaquin Memorial Panthers will jump right back in to play the Modesto Christian Crusaders at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
San Joaquin Memorial entered their tilt with Madera with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. San Joaquin Memorial took their game on the road on Friday with ease, bagging a 81-54 victory over Madera. Given San Joaquin Memorial's advantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 128th, while Madera is ranked 717th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Modesto Christian posted their biggest victory since December 20, 2023 on Wednesday. They breezed by West at home to the tune of 66-29. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win Modesto Christian has posted against West since January 24, 2019.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Modesto Christian to victory, but perhaps none more so than Elijah Payne, who scored 14 points. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Payne has scored all season. The team also got some help courtesy of Gavin Sykes, who scored 11 points along with five rebounds.
San Joaquin Memorial is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matches, which provided a nice bump to their 14-7 record this season. As for Modesto Christian, their victory bumped their record up to 14-3.
San Joaquin Memorial ended up a good deal behind Modesto Christian when the teams last played back in November of 2021, losing 87-71. Can San Joaquin Memorial avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
