Preview: Reedley Tigers at Columbia (Calif.) Claim Jumpers

COLUMBIA, Calif. (Interstat) — A surging Columbia (Calif.) squad hosts a Reedley team seeking to snap a skid in a California Community College men’s basketball matchup Wednesday night.

The Claim Jumpers (12-3) have won seven of their last eight games, including a dominant 107-65 road victory over Fresno City on Jan. 7. They followed that with a 74-56 home win against Merced on Saturday, powered by a formidable frontcourt. Player to watch Ahsan Huff hauled in 22 rebounds in that contest, part of a recent stretch where he averaged 20.5 boards over two games.

Columbia’s balance was on display against Merced, with Dylon Hanna scoring 20 points and EJ Campbell adding 19.

They face a Reedley Tigers team (9-7) that has lost three straight, most recently a 70-53 home defeat to Sequoias on Saturday. The Tigers’ offense has struggled during the losing streak, failing to reach 70 points in two of the three games.

Reedley will lean on guard CJ Kornegay Jr., who is coming off a 22-point performance in the loss to Sequoias. Over his last four games, Kornegay is averaging 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds.

The Tigers’ season has been marked by streaks, opening with four consecutive wins before alternating results. They now face their toughest conference test to date on the road.

Columbia’s only loss since late November was a narrow 85-82 defeat to Modesto on Dec. 20. Their offense has consistently produced, scoring 80 or more points in nine of their 12 victories.

Wednesday’s contest is the first of two regular-season meetings between the programs. They will meet again at Reedley on Feb. 7.

Tip-off is set for Wednesday night in Columbia.