Basketball Game Preview: Batesburg-Leesville Panthers vs. Columbia Capitals

The Batesburg-Leesville Panthers will square off against the Columbia Capitals at 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Batesburg-Leesville knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 55 points or more in their past four matchups -- so hopefully Columbia likes a good challenge.

Batesburg-Leesville is probably headed into the contest with a chip on their shoulder considering Augusta Christian just ended the team's five-game winning streak back in December of 2024. They received a blow as they fell 72-56 to the Lions. While losing is never fun, the Panthers can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' basketball rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked 172nd in South Carolina, while the Lions are ranked 18th in Georgia).

Despite their defeat, Batesburg-Leesville saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Braylen Davis, who posted 11 points along with seven rebounds and three steals, was perhaps the best of all. Davis is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in the last eight games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Ta'Maj Gilliam, who earned 15 points and seven rebounds.

Even though they lost, Batesburg-Leesville smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 20 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in eight consecutive games.

Meanwhile, Columbia was not able to break out of their rough patch on Monday as the team picked up their sixth straight loss. 2025 welcomed they with a 53-31 loss courtesy of Pelion. The match marked the Capitals' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.

Batesburg-Leesville's defeat dropped their record down to 5-5. As for Columbia, their loss dropped their record down to 3-10.

Batesburg-Leesville might still be hurting after the 59-35 defeat they got from Columbia in their previous meeting back in January of 2023. Will Batesburg-Leesville 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.