Two dominant players in Rodney Paz and Tico Smith are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Ocala Christian Crusaders will be staying on the road on Thursday to face off against the Meadowbrook Academy Mustangs at 6:00 p.m. on December 14th. Both teams come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
On Tuesday, Ocala Christian was able to grind out a solid victory over Cornerstone Academy, taking the game 49-36. That looming 49-36 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for Ocala Christian yet this season.
Meanwhile, Meadowbrook Academy entered their tilt with Redeemer Christian with three consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with four. Meadowbrook Academy managed a 57-53 win over Redeemer Christian on Monday.
Meadowbrook Academy found their leader in underclassman Smith, who scored 23 points along with six steals. The contest was Smith's ninth in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Gaige Daugherty, who scored 17 points along with seven rebounds and three steals.
Ocala Christian's win ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 3-5. As for Meadowbrook Academy, they pushed their record up to 6-3 with that win, which was their fourth straight at home.
Everything came up roses for Ocala Christian against Meadowbrook Academy in their previous matchup back in January as the team secured a 59-20 victory. Will Ocala Christian repeat their success, or does Meadowbrook Academy have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.