Preview: Clarendon Bulldogs at Midland Chaparrals

MIDLAND, Texas (Interstat) — A stark contrast in trajectories will be on display Thursday when the surging Midland College Chaparrals host the struggling Clarendon College Bulldogs in a men’s junior college basketball matchup.

The Chaparrals (17-3), ranked seventh in the latest NJCAA national poll, look to rebound from a rare home loss, an 83-91 defeat to Howard College on Monday that snapped a five-game win streak. They will face a Bulldogs squad (4-13) mired in a three-game losing skid and seeking its first road win of the conference season.

Midland, whose only losses this season are to teams currently ranked in the NJCAA Top 20, previously dominated Clarendon 101-61 on Jan. 5. The Chaparrals’ balanced attack is led by Duane Thompson, who is coming off a 22-point, 8-rebound performance in the loss to Howard. Thompson’s scoring punch will be vital as Midland aims to reassert its defensive identity after conceding 91 points last outing.

For Clarendon, the challenge is monumental. The Bulldogs have lost eight of their last nine and are allowing an average of 83.2 points per game in conference play. Their hope rests largely on the shoulders of standout guard KD Davis, who has been a bright spot amid the losses. Davis is averaging a double-double over his last seven games, including a 31-point, 11-rebound effort against New Mexico JC on Jan. 15. In Monday’s loss to South Plains, he logged 40 minutes and posted 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Beyond Davis, Clarendon will need significant contributions from Jamari Briggs (17 points vs. South Plains) and Chris Shelby to compete with a deep Midland rotation. The Chaparrals boast a potent offense averaging over 86 points per game and have won 10 of their last 12.

Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. CST at the Chaparral Center. Midland will look to maintain its hold on second place in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference, while Clarendon aims to pull off a massive upset to salvage its season.