South Bend Riley is 4-0 against Elkhart Christian Academy since January of 2017, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Saturday. The South Bend Riley Wildcats will head out on the road to take on the Elkhart Christian Academy Eagles at 6:00 p.m. South Bend Riley has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last three games.
Last Friday, South Bend Riley came up short against South Bend Clay and fell 40-31. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for South Bend Riley in their matchups with South Bend Clay: they've now lost three in a row.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Serinity Pinkney, who scored eight points along with 11 rebounds and five assists. She also posted two+ blocks for the first time this season. Another player making a difference was Serenity Farmer, who scored six points along with four steals.
Elkhart Christian Academy posted their biggest win since December 9, 2023 on Tuesday. They took their game at home with ease, bagging a 53-18 win over Trinity. Elkhart Christian Academy pushed the score to 50-14 by the end of the third, a deficit Trinity cut but never quite recovered from.
Elkhart Christian Academy's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Sheridan Maxwell led the charge by scoring 11 points along with three steals. Sydni Haviland was another key contributor, scoring five points along with 11 rebounds and two steals.
South Bend Riley's defeat dropped their record down to 3-16. As for Elkhart Christian Academy, they pushed their record up to 10-11 with that win, which was their fourth straight at home.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: South Bend Riley have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 23.4 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Elkhart Christian Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 29.1 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Everything went South Bend Riley's way against Elkhart Christian Academy when the teams last played back in January of 2020 as South Bend Riley made off with a 57-34 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for South Bend Riley since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
