Gospel Light Christian on the road again on Friday and play against the Union Grove Christian Patriots at 6:00 p.m. on January 26th. Union Grove Christian took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Gospel Light Christian, who comes in off a win.
On Tuesday, Gospel Light Christian earned a 50-43 victory over Triad Baptist Christian Academy. The victory was all the more spectacular given Gospel Light Christian's disadvantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 446th, while Triad Baptist Christian Academy is ranked 166th).
Maggie Jo Church was her usual excellent self, dropping a double-double on 20 points and 24 rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points she has scored all season. Noelle Nelson was another key contributor, scoring 16 points along with two steals.
Meanwhile, Union Grove Christian unfortunately witnessed the end of their five-game winning streak on Monday. They took a 40-36 hit to the loss column at the hands of Vandalia Christian. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Union Grove Christian in their matchups with Vandalia Christian: they've now lost five in a row.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Klaira Cromer, who scored 14 points along with five assists and three steals. She hasn't dropped below two steals for six straight games. Another player making a difference was Sara Long, who scored six points along with seven rebounds and three steals.
Gospel Light Christian's victory bumped their record up to 6-8. As for Union Grove Christian, their loss ended a four-game streak of away wins and brought them to 8-11.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Gospel Light Christian have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 36.4 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Union Grove Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 35.2 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Gospel Light Christian was able to grind out a solid victory over Union Grove Christian in their previous meeting back in January of 2023, winning 43-36. Will Gospel Light Christian repeat their success, or does Union Grove Christian have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
