VISALIA, Calif. (Interstat) — A pivotal rematch with potential conference title implications is set for Friday night when the state-ranked Columbia Claim Jumpers visit the Sequoias Giants in a men’s California Community College Athletic Association showdown.

The Claim Jumpers (23-3), one of the state’s top teams, edged the Giants 76-73 in their first meeting on Jan. 28 in Columbia. Friday’s game at Porter Field House offers Sequoias (21-6) a chance for redemption and to tighten the conference race.

Columbia brings a dominant stretch into the contest, having won nine straight games since that narrow victory over Sequoias. Their most recent outing was a 105-69 rout of Coalinga on Tuesday. The team is anchored by forward Ahsan Huff, who is coming off a 23-point, 14-rebound performance in a win at Porterville on Feb. 14. In the last month, Huff has posted two 18-rebound games, establishing himself as a force in the paint.

The Giants have been nearly as hot, winning their last seven contests. They are led by guard Kion Hayes, who scored 21 points in Tuesday’s 66-53 win over Porterville. Hayes logged 38 minutes and scored 13 points in the first matchup against Columbia and will be central to Sequoias’ efforts to flip the result.

The game features a contrast in recent history. Columbia’s last three wins have come by an average margin of 23.3 points, while Sequoias has navigated a series of tighter contests, including a 62-56 road win at Fresno City and an overtime victory over Lemoore.

Despite Columbia’s higher ranking and winning streak, the Interstat game simulator projects a dead-even contest, forecasting a 100-100 draw. This underscores the anticipated intensity of a matchup where the Giants’ home court and quest for revenge will challenge the Claim Jumpers’ elite form.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. PST.