Basketball Game Preview: Modesto Christian Crusaders vs. Downey Knights

Modesto Christian has gone 9-0 against Downey recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Modesto Christian Crusaders will be taking part in a tournament against the Downey Knights at 7:00 p.m. Modesto Christian knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 55 points or more in their past seven matchups -- so hopefully Downey likes a good challenge.

Last Saturday, Modesto Christian slipped by Buchtel 58-57.

Modesto Christian's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Gavin Sykes led the charge by putting up 19 points and five boards. The game was Sykes' seventh in a row with at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Trevor Dickson, who went 6 of 8 on his way to 16 points.

Meanwhile, Downey didn't have quite enough to beat Sonora last Saturday and fell 46-44. While losing is never fun, the Knights can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 973rd, while the Wildcats are ranked 446th).

Modesto Christian will need focus on slowing down Emerson Digiore, one of several Downey players who made an impact when they last played. He posted six points in addition to ten rebounds and eight steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Andrew Miller, who had ten points.

Modesto Christian now has a winning record of 4-3. As for Downey, they have traveled a rocky road recently having lost five of their last six contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 2-6 record this season.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Modesto Christian has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 22.6 boards per game. However, it's not like Downey struggles in that department as they've been averaging 29.3 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

Modesto Christian beat Downey 44-37 in their previous meeting back in December of 2022. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Downey's Lloyd French, who dropped a double-double on 22 points and 13 rebounds. Now that he won't be playing on Thursday, will it be easier for Modesto Christian to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.