SETTING THE SCENE: The Milford High School boys basketball team will look to snap out of a rough stretch when it hits the hardwood for games this week against top area squads Taft and Walnut Hills. The Eagles have uncharacteristically dropped four in a row, but remain entrenched in third place in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference standings with just three league games remaining. Milford wraps up a three-game homestand with a Tuesday night date with the Senators before heading out on the road for a Friday night battle at Walnut Hills.

A LOOK BACK: January 27 at Shroder: Shroder 56, Milford 51

GAME REWIND

Milford couldn’t overcome a first half that saw the Eagles score just 12 points, as despite a second half comeback, Shroder scored a 56-51 non-conference victory. The Eagles took the lead for the final time on a Steven Huxell lay-up with 5:43 to play, but fell behind from there and couldn’t get the strategy of fouling the Jaguars to stop the clock to work, although it nearly was successful. Jake Ayler got the Eagles within 52-51 with a three-pointer with 27 seconds left, but Shroder got a lay-up to stretch the lead back to three. Milford’s game-tying three-point attempt with just seconds remaining came up short and the Jags sealed it with two more free throws.

RECORDS

Milford 9-4, 7-2 ECC

Shroder 4-13

KEY PLAYERS

Milford

Brady Sluder 16 points

Steven Huxell 13 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds

Shroder

Dartanio Battle 19 points

Brandon Doss 17 points

NUGGET OF NOTE: The Eagles forced Shroder into 13 turnovers, but couldn’t take advantage, accounting for no points off of the miscues. In addition, Brady Sluder posted a new career-high with 16 points, while Steven Huxell’s seven assists were also a personal best.

FINAL GAME STATS

February 2 vs. Turpin: Turpin 47, Milford 45

GAME REWIND

A back and forth battle that featured seven ties and five lead changes and ultimately came down to the final seconds went the way of Turpin as the Spartans sprung a 47-45 upset of the Eagles. Turpin’s Jackson Holt made two free throws with six seconds left and Milford’s game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer rattled off handing the Spartans the triumph.

RECORDS

Milford 9-5, 7-3 ECC

Turpin 3-14, 1-10 ECC

KEY PLAYERS

Milford

Brady Sluder 11 points

Jake Ayler 10 points

Turpin

Jackson Holt 15 points

Griffen Durson 13 points

NUGGET OF NOTE: The Eagles came up short despite connecting on 9 of 15 second half field goals (60 percent).

FINAL GAME STATS

February 3 vs. Winton Woods: Winton Woods 61, Milford 51

GAME REWIND

Playing against a strong Winton Woods team, Milford saw the Warriors pull away in the second half for a 61-51 non-conference victory. The Eagles stayed close in the first half, but the momentum swung back to the visitors as a three-pointer at the buzzer by Leroy Walker doubled the Warriors halftime edge from three points to six. The Eagles suffered through a rough third quarter before the Warriors wore down the home team in the fourth quarter to wrap up the victory.

RECORDS

Milford 9-7

Winton Woods 12-4

KEY PLAYERS

Milford

Nathan Gallimore 27 points

Brady Sluder 10 points

Winton Woods

Leroy Walker 14 points, 5 rebounds

Demari Martin 14 points, 3 steals

Garrison Bailey 13 points, 7 rebounds

NUGGET OF NOTE: Nathan Gallimore’s 27 points, easily a career-high, were the most by an Eagle since Matt Kirk scored 30 points in a win at Northwest last season.

FINAL GAME STATS

A LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS: A look at Milford’s schedule for the week:

• Tuesday, Feb. 6 vs. Taft, 7:30 p.m.
• 2017-18 Record: 15-2, 6-1 CMAC (T-2^nd Division II area coaches’ weekly poll)
• Top Scorer: Junior Chris’seson Stringer (22.2 ppg)
• Last Meeting: 2016-17; Taft 63, Milford 49
• Friday, Feb. 9 at Walnut Hills, 7:30 p.m.
• 2017-18 Record: 14-4, 10-1 ECC (5^th Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
• Top Scorer: Senior Kameron Gibson (18.3 ppg)
• Last Meeting: 2017-18; Walnut Hills 55, Milford 47

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: A look at Milford’s statistical leaders:

Points per game: Jake Ayler (12.4), Steven Huxell (10.1), Nathan Gallimore (10.0)

Assists per game: Steven Huxell (2.3), Nathan Gallimore (1.9), Jake Ayler (1.6)

Rebounds per game: Nathan Gallimore/Brady Sluder (4.1), Jake Ayler (3.9)

Steals: Steven Huxell (20), A.J. Dickerson (13), Nathan Gallimore (12)

Blocks: Hunter Pollitt (18), Brady Sluder (10), Connor Foster (5)

Field goal percentage: Hunter Pollitt (.567), Brady Sluder (.533), Jake Ayler (.480)

Three-point percentage: Jake Ayler (.426), Nathan Gallimore (.421), Steven Huxell (.377)

Free throw percentage: Nathan Gallimore (.857), Jake Ayler (.786), AJ Dickerson (.688)

PLENTY TO GO AROUND: The Eagles feature a roster with the potential to have a different leading scorer virtually every game. Throughout their careers on varsity and developmental levels, several players have shown the ability to be big-time scorers. Here is a look at the players who have led the Eagles in scoring this season: Jake Ayler (7), Nathan Gallimore (3), Steven Huxell (2), Brady Sluder (2), Connor Foster (1), Jake Ayler/Steven Huxell (1), Nathan Gallimore/Steven Huxell (1).

INSIDE THE ECC: Walnut Hills continues to show the way in the race for the ECC Championship as they are 10-1 and hold a two-game lead over Withrow with just three conference games remaining. The schedule for ECC conference games this week includes: Wednesday-West Clermont at Loveland; Friday-Milford at Walnut Hills, Kings at Turpin, Loveland at Anderson and Withrow at West Clermont.

POLL WATCH: Milford continues to receive votes in the Feb. 5 edition of the Cincinnati Enquirer Division I area coaches’ poll. The hot battle for the top spot is led by Princeton this week over Moeller despite a 9-7 deficit in first place votes. Mason, Oak Hills and Walnut Hills complete the top-five. The ECC is also represented by West Clermont in 10^th, with Withrow joining Milford in the others receiving votes section. The coaches’ poll is released every Monday at Noon at preps.cincinnati.com/coachespolls.

Milford Eagles Season/Career Highs

Jake Ayler

Points—Season: 21 at Sycamore; Career: 21 at Sycamore (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 8 at Lebanon; Career: 8 at Lebanon (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 4 vs. Walnut Hills; Career: 4 vs. Walnut Hills (2017-18)

A.J. Dickerson

Points—Season: 8 at Loveland; Career: 8 at Loveland (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 4 four times; Career: 4 four times (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 3 at Harrison; Career: 3 at Harrison (2017-18)

Caleb Farrell

Points—Season: 5 at Turpin; Career: 7 at Glen Este (2016-17)

Rebounds—Season: 4 three times; Career: 4 three times (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 3 four times; Career: 3 four times (2017-18)

Connor Foster

Points—Season: 13 vs. Kings; Career: 13 vs. Kings (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 4 twice; Career: 4 twice (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 2 vs. Kings; Career: 2 vs. Kings (2017-18)

Nathan Gallimore

Points—Season: 27 vs. Winton Woods; Career: 27 vs. Winton Woods (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 8 twice; Career: 8 twice (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 6 at Harrison; Career: 6 at Harrison (2017-18)

Adam Harris

Points—Season: 3 at West Clermont; Career: 3 at West Clermont (2017-18)

Rebounds— Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Steven Huxell

Points—Season: 16 twice; Career: 16 twice (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 7 at Sycamore; Career: 7 at Sycamore (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 7 at Shroder; Career: 7 at Shroder (2017-18)

Jack Liles

Points—Season: 5 three times; Career: 5 three times (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 3 vs. Anderson; Career: 3 vs. Anderson (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 2 twice; Career: 2 twice (2017-18)

Hunter Pollitt

Points—Season: 9 at Sycamore; Career: 9 at Sycamore (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 4 three times; Career: 7 vs. Turpin (2016-17)

Assists—Season: 1 three times; Career: 1 five times

Cade Riesenberg

Points—Season: 7 vs. Loveland; Career: 7 vs. Loveland (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 7 vs. Loveland; Career: 7 vs. Loveland (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 1 twice; Career: 1 twice (2017-18)

Brady Sluder

Points—Season: 16 at Shroder; Career: 16 at Shroder (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 9 at Turpin; Career: 9 at Turpin (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 3 vs. Kings; Career: 3 vs. Kings (2017-18)

Grant Whitaker

Points—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Rebounds— Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A