Basketball Game Preview: Valley Christian Lions vs. Sacramento Country Day Cavaliers

Valley Christian is 9-1 against Sacramento Country Day since January of 2019 and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Valley Christian Lions are taking a road trip to face off against the Sacramento Country Day Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m. Valley Christian knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with 55 points or more in their past four contests -- so hopefully Sacramento Country Day likes a good challenge.

Valley Christian came up short against John Adams Academy - El Dorado Hills on Tuesday, falling 83-60. While the Lions didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Patriots 20-16 in the first quarter.

Despite the loss, Valley Christian got top-tier performance from James Shevchuck, who dropped a double-double on 24 points and ten boards. Those 24 points gave Shevchuck a new career-high. Jonathan Sandulyuk was another key player, going 5 for 8 on his way to 10 points.

Even though they lost, Valley Christian smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 19 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive boards in 12 consecutive games.

Meanwhile, Sacramento Country Day played a tough match on Tuesday in which they were outscored in every quarter. They were beaten by Sacramento Adventist 76-49. The Cavaliers have struggled against the Capitals recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive lost matchup.

Valley Christian's defeat ended a four-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 9-13. As for Sacramento Country Day, their loss dropped their record down to 8-11.

Everything came up roses for Valley Christian against Sacramento Country Day when the teams last played back in February of 2024, as the team secured a 93-54 win. Does Valley Christian have another victory up their sleeve, or will Sacramento Country Day turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.