Basketball Game Preview: Emmanuel Christian Eagles vs. Grace Baptist Christian

Emmanuel Christian is 9-1 against Grace Baptist Christian since February of 2018 and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Thursday. The Emmanuel Christian Eagles are taking a road trip to face off against Grace Baptist Christian at 5:00 p.m. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.

Emmanuel Christian is headed into Thursday's matchup hungry for a win as their strong season has now been derailed by two straight defeats. They were three points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 59-56 heartbreaker at the hands of Heritage Hall Christian. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Eagles have suffered since January 26, 2024.

Emmanuel Christian's defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of Zander McKnight, who posted 16 points in addition to seven boards and five assists, and Zion McKnight, who had 13 points along with five assists and four steals. Zander has been hot, having also posted two or more steals the last five times he's played. AJ Kirtlan was another key player, putting up eight points and ten boards.

Meanwhile, Grace Baptist Christian played a tough game on Thursday in which they were outscored in every quarter. They were beaten by Community Baptist Christian 58-30. The loss continues a trend for Grace Baptist Christian in their matchups with Community Baptist Christian: they've now lost seven in a row.

Emmanuel Christian's defeat ended a six-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 7-3. As for Grace Baptist Christian, their loss dropped their record down to 0-2.

Emmanuel Christian came out on top in a nail-biter against Grace Baptist Christian when the teams last played back in November of 2024, sneaking past 46-43. The rematch might be a little tougher for Emmanuel Christian since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.