After both having extra time off, the Ocala Christian Crusaders and the Bronson Eagles will shake off the cobwebs and square off against one another at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday.
Ocala Christian is probably headed into the contest with a chip on their shoulder considering Meadowbrook Academy just ended the team's three-game winning streak last Saturday. They were dealt a 74-34 defeat at the hands of the Mustangs. While losing is never fun, the Crusaders can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 614th, while the Mustangs are ranked 276th).
While Bronson didn't have the best season last year (they finished 4-18), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They skirted past Dixie County 65-62. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Eagles.
Bronson's win came from a few key players Ocala Christian will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Justice Phillips, who posted 22 points in addition to five rebounds and four steals. The game was his eighth in a row with at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Talon Harris, who went 7 of 15 en route to 19 points and six assists.
Bronson smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 19 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 11 offensive rebounds in five consecutive matches.
Ocala Christian's loss dropped their record down to 8-6. As for Bronson, their victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 6-2.
Ocala Christian came up short against Bronson in their previous meeting back in January, falling 66-56. Can Ocala Christian avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
