SETTING THE SCENE: The Milford High School basketball team is back on the hardwood on Thursday night when the Eagles open OHSAA Tournament play against Western Brown. The match-up is slated for a 6 p.m. tip-off at Hamilton High School. Milford split its last two regular season games of the year to finish the campaign at 10-11 overall. Despite the relatively close proximity between the schools, Thursday’s tilt marks the first meeting on the court since the 2011-12 OHSAA Tournament.

A LOOK BACK: February 13 at Kings: Milford 68, Kings 52

GAME REWIND

Milford finished with season-highs in points and shooting as the Eagles snapped their losing streak with a 68-52 win over Kings. Trailing 16-13 after one quarter, Milford exploded in period two, accounting for 25 points to take a nine-point lead at the half. The third quarter was more of the same as the Eagles stretched their lead to a game-high 21 before settling for a 16-point victory.

RECORDS

Milford 10-10, 8-5 ECC

Kings 3-18, 2-11 ECC

KEY PLAYERS

Milford

Jake Ayler 17 points, 5 rebounds

Nathan Gallimore 16 points

Steven Huxell 13 points

A.J. Dickerson 11 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists

Kings

Jack Hussey 15 points

Jake Peters 12 points

Briton Longwell 11 points, 6 assists

NUGGET OF NOTE: With four players in double figures scoring, including junior A.J. Dickerson with a career-high 11, Milford scored its most points in a regulation game since a 68-60 win at Northwest last February.

FINAL GAME STATS

February 16 vs. Withrow: Withrow 57, Milford 42

GAME REWIND

Withrow shot 60 percent from the floor in the second half which proved too much for Milford to overcome as the visiting Tigers handed the Eagles a 57-42 setback on Senior Night. The Eagles fought from behind throughout the first half, briefly taking a one point lead before Withrow scored the final five points of the half to take a lead it would not relinquish.

RECORDS

Milford 10-10, 8-6 ECC

Withrow 14-8, 11-3 ECC

KEY PLAYERS

Milford

Steven Huxell 20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists

Connor Foster 7 points, 4 rebounds

Withrow

Abba Lawal 11 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks

Mike Hill, Jr. 9 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks

NUGGET OF NOTE: Steven Huxell finished with a career-high 20 points, marking the 13^th time in 21 games this season the junior has scored 10 or more points in a game.

FINAL GAME STATS

LISTEN LIVE: Can’t make it to Milford’s tourney opener? FM country station C103 Country will be on hand to broadcast the Milford-Western Brown game live. The game can be heard by logging on to c103.fm.

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

• Thursday, Feb. 22 vs. Western Brown, 6:00 p.m. (at Hamilton HS)
• 2017-18 Record: 14-7, 6-4 SBAAC (NR Division I area coaches’ final weekly poll)
• Top Scorer: Senior Clayton Wolfe (13.2 ppg)
• Last Meeting: 2011-12; Milford 68, Western Brown 45
• Click here for Milford’s sectional bracket

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

Points per game: Jake Ayler (12.2), Steven Huxell (10.2), Nathan Gallimore (9.6)

Assists per game: Steven Huxell (2.2), Nathan Gallimore (2.0), Jake Ayler (1.5)

Rebounds per game: Brady Sluder (3.8), Jake Ayler/Nathan Gallimore (3.7)

Steals: Steven Huxell (24), A.J. Dickerson (17), Nathan Gallimore (16)

Blocks: Hunter Pollitt (20), Brady Sluder (10), Connor Foster (6)

Field goal percentage: Hunter Pollitt (.515), Brady Sluder (.509), Jake Ayler (.497)

Three-point percentage: Jake Ayler (.426), Nathan Gallimore (.419), Steven Huxell (.349)

Free throw percentage: Nathan Gallimore (.875), Jake Ayler (.788), A.J. Dickerson/Steven Huxell (.667)

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 (9), Nathan Gallimore (3), Steven Huxell (3), Brady Sluder (2), Connor Foster (1), Cade Riesenberg (1), Jake Ayler/Steven Huxell (1), Nathan Gallimore/Steven Huxell (1).

INSIDE THE ECC: Walnut Hills went 13-1 to claim its second straight ECC Championship. Withrow finished second, with West Clermont in third and Milford and Anderson tied for fourth.

The schedule for ECC teams in the tournament includes: No. 5 Walnut Hills vs. No. 26 Little Miami (Feb. 23, 8:30 p.m. at Fairfield), No. 13 West Clermont vs. No. 15 Sycamore (Feb. 22, 8:00 p.m. at Lakota West), No. 14 Withrow vs. No. 19 Anderson (Feb. 24, 6:00 p.m. at Hamilton), No. 17 Milford vs. No. 20 Western Brown (Feb. 22, 6:00 p.m. at Hamilton), No. 25 Loveland vs. No. 7 St. Xavier (Feb. 24, 8:00 p.m. at Lakota West), No. 28 Turpin vs. No. 8 Winton Woods (Feb. 23, 7:00 p.m. at Fairfield) and No. 29 Kings vs. No. 2 Princeton (Feb. 22, 6:00 p.m. at Lakota West).

POLL WATCH: Milford did not receive any votes in the final edition of the Cincinnati Enquirer Division I area coaches’ poll. The battle for the top spot went to Moeller as the Crusaders received three first place votes to one for second place Princeton. Oak Hills, Walnut Hills from the ECC and Mason complete the top-five. The ECC is also represented by Withrow in ninth. The final coaches’ poll can be viewed at preps.cincinnati.com/coachespolls.

Milford Eagles Season/Career Highs

Jake Ayler

Points—Season: 22 vs. Taft; Career: 22 vs. Taft (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: 11 at Kings; Career: 11 at Kings (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 5 vs. Taft; Career: 5 vs. Taft (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 3 twice; Career: 3 twice (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 three times; Career: 4 three times (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: 1 at Walnut Hills; Career: 1 at Walnut Hills (2017-18)

Steven Huxell

Points—Season: 20 vs. Withrow; Career: 20 vs. Withrow (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: 6 at Walnut Hills; Career: 6 at Walnut Hills (2017-18)

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

Assists—Season: 2 three times; Career: 2 three times (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 four times; Career: 1 six times

Cade Riesenberg

Points—Season: 8 at Walnut Hills; Career: 8 at Walnut Hills (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)