The Celina Bulldogs will look to defend their home court on Thursday against the Defiance Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m. Given that the pair suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this match.
Last Thursday, Celina was beaten by the Titans 65-29. While losing is never fun, Celina can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked 469th, while the Titans are ranked 29th).
Meanwhile, after soaring to 66 points the game before, Defiance were a bit more limited in their game on Thursday. They lost to Bath at home by a decisive 39-21 margin. Defiance has struggled against the Wildcats recently, as their matchup on Thursday was their sixth consecutive lost matchup.
Despite the defeat, Defiance saw an underclassman step up: Isabella Rowlison scored 12 points. Rowlison is trending in the right direction, as she's improved her point production for three games straight.
Celina has not been sharp recently as the team's lost three of their last four games, which put a noticeable dent in their 7-12 record this season. As for Defiance, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-17.
Celina didn't have too much breathing room in their game against the Bulldogs when the teams last played back in February of 2023, but they still walked away with a 34-29 victory. Does Celina have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bulldogs turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
