Basketball Recap: Columbia's Higher State Rank on Full Display on Saturday

The Columbia Eagles were able to grind out a solid victory over the Chattanooga Prep Sentinels on Saturday, taking the game 53-46. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Eagles' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' basketball rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked 37th in Georgia, while the Sentinels are ranked 129th in Tennessee).

Chattanooga Prep's loss came despite a true team effort with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Joel Bulis, who dropped a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Tavion Foster was another key player, shooting 45% from the field to rack up 12 points and three steals.

The win made it two in a row for Columbia and bumps their season record up to 6-1. As for Chattanooga Prep, they dropped their record down to 1-7 with the defeat, which was their fifth straight on the road.

Looking ahead, Columbia will take on Paul W. Bryant at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. As for Chattanooga Prep, they will square off against Hargrave Military Academy at 9:00 p.m. on Friday. The Sentinels will be up against the Tigers' rather soft defense (which has allowed 51.13 points per matchup), so fans could be in store for a big offensive performance.