Independence is 2-7 against Bakersfield Christian since January of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The Independence Falcons will be playing in front of their home fans against the Bakersfield Christian Eagles at 5:45 p.m. Both teams come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Independence posted their biggest victory since November 18, 2023 on Friday. They were the clear victor by a 54-28 margin over Stockdale. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest victory Independence has posted against Stockdale since January 8, 2016.
Independence can attribute much of their success to Olivia Fletcher, who scored 17 points along with seven steals, and Kaylynn Bolden, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 16 rebounds. Bolden has been hot recently, having posted two or more steals the last 14 times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Victoria Castaneda, who scored ten points.
Meanwhile, Bakersfield Christian put the finishing touches on their sixth blowout victory of the season on Thursday. They blew past Highland, posting a 70-6 win on the road. The win was familiar territory for Bakersfield Christian who now have four in a row.
Ruby Yanagi was the offensive standout of the match as she scored 20 points along with two steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points she has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Destiny Francies, who scored nine points along with five rebounds and three steals.
Independence's win ended a four-game drought at home and bumped them up to 8-10. As for Bakersfield Christian, they are on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine contests, which provided a nice bump to their 13-6 record this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Independence have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 40.6 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Bakersfield Christian, though, as they've been averaging only 41.6 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Independence came up short against Bakersfield Christian in their previous meeting back in February of 2023, falling 55-47. Will Independence 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.
