Basketball Game Preview: Ocala Christian Crusaders vs. Belleview Rattlers

Ocala Christian hasn't had much luck against Belleview recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Crusaders will be home for the holidays to greet the Rattlers at 4:30 p.m.

Ocala Christian is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against Citrus on Thursday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Crusaders were outmatched by the Hurricanes and fell 55-12. The Crusaders were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 30-7.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Belleview, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Monday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 50-47 victory over Dunnellon on Wednesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Rattlers have posted since December 4, 2024.

Belleview's victory was their 12th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 8-1. The home wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 27.0 points on average over those games. As for Ocala Christian, their loss dropped their record down to 0-6.

Ocala Christian was dealt a bruising 55-9 defeat at the hands of Belleview in their previous meeting back in November. That matchup was all but decided by halftime, at which point the Crusaders were down 30-6.