The Bradenton Christian Panthers will take on the St. Petersburg Catholic Barons on Saturday.
Last Thursday, Bradenton Christian took a blow against Port Charlotte, falling 73-34. While losing is never fun, the Panthers can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 252nd, while the Pirates are ranked 53rd).
| 01/30/25 @ Port Charlotte | 3 |
| 01/28/25 vs Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy | 8 |
| 01/24/25 vs Sarasota | 4 |
Despite their defeat, Bradenton Christian saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Amelia Dammann, who went 6 for 10 on her way to 12 points and three steals, was perhaps the best of all. Dammann has been hot recently, having posted three or more steals the last three times she's played.
Meanwhile, St. Petersburg Catholic had already proven themselves in the regular season and they didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. They really took it to Out-of-Door Academy for the full four quarters, racking up a 50-22 victory. The Barons have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won nine contests by 21 points or more this season.
St. Petersburg Catholic's win came from a few key players Bradenton Christian will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Naomi Denmark, who went 7 of 17 en route to 14 points along with seven rebounds and four steals. That's the most steals she has posted since back in December of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Kinsley Spoor, who posted eight points in addition to eight boards and five blocks.
St. Petersburg Catholic smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 18 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive boards in four consecutive matchups.
St. Petersburg Catholic has been performing well recently as they've won ten of their last 12 games, which provided a nice bump to their 18-9 record this season. As for Bradenton Christian, they have also traveled a rocky road recently having lost seven of their last nine contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 12-12 record this season.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Bradenton Christian has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 24.4 rebounds per game. However, it's not like St. Petersburg Catholic struggles in that department as they've been averaging 31.2 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Everything came up roses for Bradenton Christian against St. Petersburg Catholic in their previous matchup back in January of 2017, as the team secured a 56-21 win. In that match, Bradenton Christian amassed a halftime lead of 37-10, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Saturday.
