A LOOK AT THE EAGLES: A capsule look at the 2018-19 team:

• 2018-19 Record: 12-11, 7-7 ECC
• Head Coach: Joe Cambron (18^th year at Milford and as HS head coach)
• Top Scorer: Senior Steven Huxell (15.9 ppg)
• Top Rebounder: Senior Brady Sluder (4.9 rpg)

A LOOK AT THE OPPONENT: A look at No. 17 Milford’s OHSAA Tournament opponent:

• Tuesday, Feb. 26 vs. No. 6 LaSalle, 6:00 p.m. {at Lakota West HS}
• 2018-19 Record: 12-10, 2-4 GCL
• Top Scorer: Junior Jaylen Lemons (11.9 ppg)
• Last Meeting: N/A
• Click here to view the District I Sectional Brackets

NICE TO MEET YOU: When Milford tips-off with LaSalle, it won’t be against a familiar foe. The Eagles and Lancers haven’t met on the hardwood in no less than the last 16 years as records back to the 2002-03 season don’t show any meetings between the schools. In fact, the Eagles haven’t met any of the four members of the GCL South in the same time period.

A LOOK BACK: February 22 at Lakota West: Milford 55, Harrison 37

Milford rode a red hot start to a victory in the opening round of the OHSAA Tournament on Friday night as the Eagles knocked off Harrison 55-37. The Eagles jumped out front by a 20-3 score and never looked back as the No. 17 seed advanced to the second round of the tournament where they will face No. 6 seed LaSalle on Tuesday night, back at Lakota West.

GAME REWIND

The night couldn’t have started any better for the Eagles as they made 9 of 11 (81.8%) first quarter shots to jump to a big early lead. Three-pointers were the key to a 16-0 run to start the game as Jack Liles knocked down a pair of triples and Steven Huxell connected on one.

As efficient as the Eagles were in the first eight minutes, they struggled to find their scoring touch in the second period as they made just 1 of 6 field goals and were outscored 8-6. Harrison really cranked up its defense in the second, holding the Eagles scoreless for a period of almost five minutes.

Milford didn’t let the tough second quarter deter its effort after halftime as they got back on track, opening a game-high lead of 23 nearly halfway through the third. The big lead was built by a second half opening 11-0 run by the Eagles.

Harrison tried to make a game of it in the fourth quarter, but could get no closer than 12 points. Despite being held to just two field goals in the period, the trio of Jake Ayler, A.J. Dickerson and Huxell combined to go 7 of 9 from the foul line to send Milford to next round.

RECORDS

Milford 12-11

Harrison 10-13

KEY PLAYERS

Milford

Steven Huxell 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals

Jack Liles 13 points, 4 rebounds

Harrison

Will Nieman 13 points

Connor Kinnett 12 points, 6 rebounds

NUGGETS OF NOTE: Harrison’s leading scorer Spencer Kinnett was held in check by the Eagles, specifically by the duo of Dickerson and Caleb Farrell. After averaging nearly 16 points this season, Kinnett was held to just four points as he was frustrated by tough defense and foul trouble throughout.

Huxell scored 20 points, marking the sixth time this season and fourth time in the last six games, he’s recorded at least 20.

FINAL GAME STATS

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

Points per game: Steven Huxell (15.9), Jake Ayler (8.5), Jack Liles (8.3)

Assists per game: Jake Ayler/Steven Huxell (2.3), Caleb Farrell (1.9)

Rebounds per game: Brady Sluder (4.9), Steven Huxell (3.9), Jack Liles (3.5)

Steals: A.J. Dickerson (31), Jake Ayler (28), Steven Huxell (25)

Blocks: Brady Sluder (19), Connor Foster/Jack Liles (5)

Field goal percentage: Brady Sluder (.504), Jack Liles (.451), Connor Foster (.449)

Three-point percentage: Jack Liles (.431), Steven Huxell (.419), Jake Ayler (.409)

Free throw percentage: A.J. Dickerson (.784), Jack Liles (.774), Steven Huxell (.734)

INSIDE THE ECC: West Clermont captured its first ECC Boys Basketball Championship, finishing with a record of 12-2, one game ahead of Turpin at 11-3. Walnut Hills took third at 8-6, with Loveland and Milford sharing fourth, each at 7-7. Kings and Withrow were next, each at 5-9, with Anderson rounding out the standings at 1-13.

The schedule for ECC teams still alive in the tournament includes: No. 9 Turpin vs. No. 14 Mount Healthy (Feb. 28, 6:00 p.m. at Lakota West), No. 17 Milford vs. No. 6 LaSalle (Feb. 26, 6:00 p.m. at Lakota West) and No. 27 Withrow vs. No. 3 Mason (Feb. 26, 7:30 p.m. at Lakota West).

Milford Eagles Season/Career Highs

Jack Ackermann

Points—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Rebounds— Season: 1 vs. Edgewood; Career: 1 vs. Edgewood (2018-19)

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Jake Ayler

Points—Season: 20 at Taft; Career: 22 vs. Taft (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 8 vs. Anderson; Career: 8 twice

Assists—Season: 6 vs. Edgewood; Career: 6 vs. Edgewood (2018-19)

Steals—Season: 4 twice; Career: 4 twice (2018-19)

Cole Chaney

Points—Season: 4 vs. Edgewood; Career: 4 vs. Edgewood (2018-19)

Rebounds— Season: 2 vs. Edgewood; Career: 2 vs. Edgewood (2018-19)

Assists—Season: 3 vs. Anderson; Career: 3 vs. Anderson (2018-19)

A.J. Dickerson

Points—Season: 11 at Loveland; Career: 11 twice

Rebounds—Season: 8 vs. West Clermont; Career: 8 vs. West Clermont (2018-19)

Assists—Season: 5 vs. Anderson; Career: 5 vs. Anderson (2018-19)

Steals—Season: 4 vs. Anderson; Career: 4 twice

Caleb Farrell

Points—Season: 9 twice; Career: 9 twice (2018-19)

Rebounds—Season: 5 at Anderson; Career: 5 at Anderson (2018-19)

Assists—Season: 4 vs. West Clermont; Career: 4 vs. West Clermont (2018-19)

Connor Foster

Points—Season: 10 vs. Harrison; Career: 13 vs. Kings (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 6 twice; Career: 6 twice (2018-19)

Assists—Season: 2 at Kings; Career: 2 twice

Blocks—Season: 4 at Withrow; Career: 4 at Withrow (2018-19)

Adam Harris

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

Rebounds— Season: 1 at McNicholas; Career: 1 at McNicholas (2018-19)

Assists—Season: 1 vs. Walnut Hills; Career: 1 twice

Steven Huxell

Points—Season: 28 at Walnut Hills; Career: 28 at Walnut Hills (2018-19)

Rebounds—Season: 9 at Loveland; Career: 9 at Loveland (2018-19)

Assists—Season: 4 seven times; Career: 7 at Shroder (2017-18)

Steals—Season: 5 vs. Anderson; Career: 5 vs. Anderson (2018-19)

Jack Liles

Points—Season: 27 vs. Lebanon; Career: 27 vs. Lebanon (2018-19)

Rebounds—Season: 8 at Walnut Hills; Career: 8 at Walnut Hills (2018-19)

Assists—Season: 3 twice; Career: 3 twice (2018-19)

Steals—Season: 3 vs. West Clermont; Career: 3 vs. West Clermont (2018-19)

Cade Riesenberg

Points—Season: 8 at Anderson; Career: 10 vs. Western Brown (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 9 at Anderson; Career: 9 at Anderson (2018-19)

Assists—Season: 1 six times; Career: 1 nine times

Joey Round

Points—Season: 4 vs. Anderson; Career: 4 vs. Anderson (2018-19)

Rebounds— Season: 2 twice; Career: 2 twice (2018-19)

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Brady Sluder

Points—Season: 16 at Anderson; Career: 16 twice (2018-19)

Rebounds—Season: 11 at Kings; Career: 11 at Kings (2018-19)

Assists—Season: 2 three times; Career: 3 vs. Kings (2017-18)

Blocks—Season: 5 vs. Sycamore; Career: 5 vs. Sycamore (2018-19)

Double-doubles—Season: 1; Career: 1

Grant Whitaker

Points—Season: 2 vs. Harrison; Career: 2 vs. Harrison (2018-19)

Rebounds— Season: 1 vs. Edgewood; Career: 1 vs. Edgewood

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A