Christian Learning Center has enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will challenge Center Place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in their respective states (Christian Learning Center is ranked 217th in Kansas, while Center Place is ranked 193rd in Missouri).
On Tuesday, Christian Learning Center suffered a tough 72-47 defeat at the hands of Heartland. Christian Learning Center was in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 43-22.
Despite the defeat, Christian Learning Center saw an underclassman step up: Easton Rhodes scored 16 points along with five rebounds. Rhodes has been hot recently, having posted two or more steals the last three times he's played. Ryan Koch was another key contributor, scoring seven points along with five rebounds.
Meanwhile, winning is just a little bit easier when you outrebound your opponent 16 to 5 on the offensive boards, a fact Center Place proved last Monday. They strolled past Clinton Christian Academy with points to spare, taking the game 58-39.
Center Place got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Noah Alaniz out in front who scored 12 points along with five rebounds and five steals. Those five rebounds set a new season-high mark for Alaniz. The team also got some help courtesy of Blayne Schrunk , who dropped a double-double on 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Christian Learning Center's loss dropped their record down to 5-3. As for Center Place, their win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 3-1.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Christian Learning Center have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 23.8 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Center Place struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 37.5 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Christian Learning Center ended up a good deal behind Center Place in their previous matchup back in January, losing 68-51. Can Christian Learning Center avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
