Basketball Game Preview: Central Jaguars vs. Paxton Bobcats

Central hasn't had much luck against Paxton recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. A feisty cat fight is on tap when the Central Jaguars take on the Paxton Bobcats at 6:00 p.m. Paxton took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Central, who comes in off a win.

Central is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They blew past Northview 83-32. The Jaguars have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won ten contests by 21 points or more this season.

Meanwhile, after a string of five wins, Paxton's good fortune finally ran out last Tuesday. They fell to Rocky Bayou Christian 37-33. The game marked the Bobcats' lowest-scoring matchup so far this season.

Central will need focus on slowing down Marley McClelland, one of several Paxton players who made an impact when they last played. She posted seven points and seven boards. That's the most rebounds McClelland has posted since back in December of 2024. Destini Chatman was another key player, putting up six points.

Paxton's defeat ended an eight-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 18-3. As for Central, the win made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 15-10.

Central came up short against Paxton when the teams last played back in January, falling 57-45. Can Central avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.