The Elder Panthers will face off against the St. Xavier Bombers at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Elder has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the match with four straight defeats, while St. Xavier will come in with seven straight wins.
Last Saturday, Elder ended up a good deal behind Olentangy Liberty and lost 57-43. While losing is never fun, the Panthers can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked 73rd, while the Patriots are ranked fifth).
Meanwhile, St. Xavier hadn't done well against Archbishop Moeller recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. St. Xavier was the clear victor by a 46-22 margin over Archbishop Moeller. The Bombers have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won six contests by 24 points or more this season.
St. Xavier's win came from a few key players Elder will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Brayden Reilly, who went 5 of 7 on his way to 13 points and five steals. What's more, he also racked up two blocks, the most he's had since back in November of 2024. Another player making a difference was Jacob Wassler, who went 5 for 7 en route to 14 points.
St. Xavier's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 17-3. The wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 28.5 points over those games. As for Elder, their loss dropped their record down to 12-7.
Elder lost to St. Xavier at home by a decisive 46-30 margin in their previous meeting back in January. Will Elder have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps