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Boys Hoops Opens Tournament With Rubber Match Against Withrow

Posted on: February 23, 2017

SETTING THE SCENE: For the second time in eight days, the Milford Eagles and Withrow Tigers will take to the same court, but this time with much higher stakes as the two Eastern Cincinnati Conference rivals meet in the opening round of the 2017 OHSAA Tournament. The match-up will be the rubber match of the season series as each team protected its home court during the previous contests. There will be no home court advantage this time as Lakota West will be hosts on Saturday evening at 8 p.m.

 

A LOOK BACK: February 14 vs. Kings: Milford 55, Kings 41

THE SHORT STORY

Milford couldn’t have written a better Senior Night script as the Eagles coasted to a 55-41 win over Kings. The five-man senior class, which also made up the starting line-up for the first time as a group, all made it into the scoring column as the Eagles found retribution for a loss to the Knights earlier this season.

 

RECORDS

Milford 8-13, 5-8 ECC

Kings 9-12, 6-7 ECC

 

KEY PLAYERS

Milford

Matt Kirk 16 points

Jacob Riesenberg 8 points, 12 rebounds

 

Kings

Clay Spivey 21 points

 

NUGGET OF NOTE: Senior Jack Hannah drew his first career starting assignment as the Eagles snapped a modest three-game losing streak to the Knights.

 

FINAL GAME STATS LINK

 

February 17 at Withrow: Withrow 49, Milford 33

THE SHORT STORY

Very little went right for the Eagles as Withrow scored the game’s first 15 points and never looked back, winning on its Senior Night by a 49-33 score over Milford. The Eagles played the Tigers to a 21-all tie in the second half, but a 16-point halftime deficit that saw the visitors net just 12 points before the break was too much to overcome.

 

RECORDS

Milford 8-14, 5-9 ECC

Withrow 14-8, 9-5 ECC

 

KEY PLAYERS

Milford

Nathan Gallimore 8 points

Jacob Riesenberg 7 points, 4 rebounds

 

Withrow

Muhammed Harouna 12 points

Brandon Powell 9 points, 6 rebounds

 

NUGGET OF NOTE: The setback to the Tigers marked the first time since Withrow joined the Eastern Cincinnati Conference in 2014-15 that the Eagles came up short to their newest conference rival.

 

FINAL GAME STATS LINK

 

A LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS: A look at Milford’s next OHSAA Tournament opponent:

  • Saturday, Feb. 25 vs. Withrow (at Lakota West), 8:00 p.m.
    • 2016-17 Record: 14-8, 9-5 ECC (9th Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
    • Top Scorer: Senior Davon Jorden (13.1 ppg)
    • Last Meeting: 2016-17; Milford 53, Withrow 42 & Withrow 49, Milford 33

 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: A look at Milford’s statistical leaders through 22 games:

Points per game: Matt Kirk (11.4), Jacob Rieseneberg (8.8), Nathan Gallimore (8.5)

Assists per game: Nathan Gallimore (2.0), Wes Reid (1.6), Jacob Riesenberg (1.5)

Rebounds per game: Jacob Riesenberg (6.7), Matt Kirk (5.1), Jake Ayler/Nathan Gallimore (2.6)

Steals: Matt Kirk (16), Jake Ayler (13), Nathan Gallimore/Wes Reid (10)

Blocks: Jacob Riesenberg (11), Hunter Pollitt (10), Nathan Gallimore (3)

Field goal percentage: Wes Reid (.513), Jacob Riesenberg (.468), Jake Ayler (.466)

Three-point percentage: Jake Ayler (.413), Nathan Gallimore (.387), Wes Reid (.286)

Free throw percentage: Jake Ayler (.773), Matt Kirk (.730), Wes Reid (.725)

 

INSIDE THE ECC: Walnut Hills clinched its third ECC title in the last five years as they finished 12-2 in league play. Withrow enjoyed a huge turnaround from last season, winning four more league games and finishing second at 9-5. Glen Este and Loveland finished in a tie for third in the competitive league, each at 7-7.

 

The schedule for ECC teams in the tournament includes: No. 7 Walnut Hills vs. winner of No. 13 Fairfield-No. 20 Sycamore (Feb. 28, 8:00 p.m. at Lakota West), No. 9 Withrow vs. No. 24 Milford (Feb. 25, 8:00 p.m. at Lakota West), No. 14 Glen Este vs. No. 17 Middletown (Feb. 25, 5:00 p.m. at Fairfield), No. 18 Kings vs. No. 15 Amelia (Feb. 25, 6:00 p.m. at Lakota West), No. 19 Loveland vs. No. 21 Edgewood (Feb. 25, 8:00 p.m. at Fairfield), No. 22 Anderson vs. winner of No. 9 Withrow-No. 24 Milford (March 1, 8:00 p.m. at Hamilton) and No. 26 Turpin vs. No. 5 Princeton (Feb. 23, 8:00 p.m. at Hamilton).

 

POLL WATCH: Milford did not receive any votes in the final weekly Cincinnati Enquirer Division I area coaches’ poll of the year. Undefeated Moeller picked up the poll crown for this year, earning all eight first place votes. The rest of the top-five features LaSalle, Oak Hills, Mason and Princeton. The ECC is represented by Walnut Hills in seventh and Withrow in ninth, along with Glen Este receiving votes. The coaches’ poll is released every Monday at Noon at preps.cincinnati.com/coachespolls.

 

Milford Eagles Season/Career Highs

Jake Ayler

Points—Season: 16 at Kings; Career: 16 at Kings (2016-17)

Rebounds—Season: 4 twice; Career: 4 twice (2016-17)

Assists—Season: 3 at Anderson; Career: 3 at Anderson (2016-17)

 

A.J. Dickerson

Points—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Rebounds—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

 

Caleb Farrell

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

Rebounds—Season: 3 twice; Career: 3 twice (2016-17)

Assists—Season: 2 seven times; Career: 2 seven times (2016-17)

 

Connor Foster

Points—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Rebounds—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

 

Nathan Gallimore

Points—Season: 16 vs. Walnut Hills; Career: 16 vs. Walnut Hills (2016-17)

Rebounds—Season: 6 at Northwest; Career: 6 at Northwest (2016-17)

Assists—Season: 5 twice; Career: 5 twice (2016-17)

 

Jack Hannah

Points—Season: 8 vs. Loveland; Career: 8 vs. Loveland (2106-17)

Rebounds—Season: 5 three times; Career: 5 three times (2016-17)

Assists—Season: 2 twice; Career: 2 twice (2016-17)

 

Steven Huxell

Points—Season: 4 at Northwest; Career: 4 at Northwest (2016-17)

Rebounds—Season: 3 at Withrow; Career: 3 at Withrow (2016-17)

Assists—Season: 1 twice; Career: 1 twice (2016-17)

 

Diamonte Johnson

Points—Season: 5 at Taft; Career: 5 at Taft (2016-17)

Rebounds—Season: 2 at Kings; Career: 2 at Kings (2016-17)

Assists—Season: 1 four times; Career: 1 four times (2016-17)

 

Blake King

Points—Season: 4 vs. Glen Este; Career: 4 vs. Glen Este (2016-17)

Rebounds—Season: 3 vs. Glen Este; Career: 3 vs. Glen Este (2016-17)

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

 

Matt Kirk

Points—Season: 30 at Northwest; Career: 30 at Northwest (2016-17)

Rebounds—Season: 10 vs. Lebanon; Career: 10 vs. Lebanon (2016-17)

Assists—Season: 3 twice; Career: 3 twice (2016-17)

Double-doubles—Season 1; Career 1

 

Jack Liles

Points—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Rebounds—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

 

Kyle Minton

Points—Season: 6 vs. Withrow; Career: 6 vs. Withrow (2016-17)

Rebounds—Season: 6 at Anderson; Career: 6 at Anderson (2016-17)

Assists—Season: 1 eight times; Career: 1 eight times (2016-17)

 

Hunter Pollitt

Points—Season: 6 at Taft; Career: 6 at Taft (2016-17)

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

Assists—Season: 1 twice; Career: 1 twice (2016-17)

 

Wes Reid

Points—Season: 20 vs. Sycamore; Career: 20 vs. Sycamore (2016-17)

Rebounds—Season: 8 vs. Sycamore; Career: 8 vs. Sycamore (2016-17)

Assists—Season: 4 twice; Career: 4 twice (2016-17)

 

Cade Riesenberg

Points—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Rebounds—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

 

Jacob Riesenberg

Points—Season: 18 at McNicholas; Career: 18 at McNicholas (2016-17)

Rebounds—Season: 17 at Northwest; Career: 17 at Northwest (2016-17)

Assists—Season: 4 at Northwest; Career: 4 at Northwest (2016-17)

 

Brady Sluder

Points—Season: 1 at Glen Este; Career: 1 at Glen Este (2016-17)

Rebounds—Season: 1 three times; Career: 1 three times (2016-17)

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

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