Basketball Game Preview: Parkview Christian Patriots vs. Johnson County Central Thunderbirds

The Parkview Christian Patriots will be taking part in a tournament against the Johnson County Central Thunderbirds at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Parkview Christian's favor is that they have posted at least 55 points every time they've taken the court this season.

Parkview Christian is probably headed into the match with a chip on their shoulder considering Lewiston just ended the team's three-game winning streak on Thursday. They fell to the Tigers 66-61. The loss was the Patriots' first of the season.

Despite their loss, Parkview Christian saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Tairren Scott, who went 6 of 14 on his way to 15 points in addition to eight rebounds and five assists, was perhaps the best of all. The contest was Scott's fourth in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Harlem Mcginnis, who went 7 for 15 on his way to 16 points in addition to five assists and four steals.

Even though they lost, Parkview Christian smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 12 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in 18 consecutive games dating back to last season.

Meanwhile, Johnson County Central won against Palmyra on Tuesday with 58 points and they decided to stick to that point total again on Thursday. It was close, but Johnson County Central ultimately received the gift of a 58-55 victory from a begrudging Thunderbirds squad. Given their advantage in MaxPreps' Nebraska basketball rankings (they are ranked 19th, while the Lions are ranked 95th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

The win (which was Johnson County Central's third in a row) raised their record to 6-1. As for Parkview Christian, their defeat was their first of the season and makes their record 3-1.

Parkview Christian came up short against Johnson County Central in their previous meeting back in January of 2022, falling 65-53. Can Parkview Christian avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.