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

• Record: 10-13, 3-11 ECC
• Head Coach: Dave Fallis (1^st year at Milford, 10^th year as head coach)
• Top Scorer: Sophomore Azyiah Williams (12.8 ppg)
• Top Rebounder: Freshman Paige Ayler (5.9 rpg)

A LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS: A look at No. 20 Milford’s OHSAA Tournament opponent:

• Thursday, Feb. 21 vs. No. 1 Mount Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m. {at Lakota East HS}
• 2018-19 Record: 20-2, 8-0 GGCL
• Top Scorer: Freshman K.K. Bransford (16.6 ppg)
• Last Meeting: 2012-13; Mount Notre Dame 38, Milford 17
• Click here to view the District I Sectional Brackets.

A LOOK BACK: February 16 at Lakota East: Milford 58, Harrison 48

The Milford High School girls basketball team opened a huge third quarter lead, then held off a comeback attempt by Harrison as the Eagles pulled away late for a 58-48 win in the opening round of the OHSAA Tournament.

GAME REWIND

The first quarter was tight and was tied at 13 in the waning seconds until freshman Paige Ayler drained a three to give the Eagles a 16-13 lead after eight minutes. The contest remained close through the second period with a three by Morgan Hills putting the Eagles up by nine at the 1:26 mark. After two Harrison free throws, Azyiah Williams made a huge impact on three straight possessions. First, she fed Carlie Duesing for a lay-up, then grabbed a steal and went coast-to-coast for another bucket. Finally, the sophomore sparkplug took a charge with one second left.

The Eagles picked up in the second half where they left off, scoring 9 of the first 11 points of the half to open an 18-point lead nearly halfway through the third. But Harrison chipped away at the Milford lead as the Eagles went just over five minutes without a point. Two free throws by Sami Wilkins brought the Wildcats within four, 46-42, with 5:15 left to play. But that would be as close as they would get as Milford finished the game on a 12-6 run, including 5 of 9 from the free throw line to wrap up the victory.

RECORDS

Milford 10-13

Harrison 9-14

KEY PLAYERS

Milford

Azyiah Williams 24 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals

Carlie Duesing 8 points, 7 rebounds

Morgan Hills 8 points, 3 rebounds

Harrison

Hayley Harmon 11 points

Sami Wilkins 10 points, 3 rebounds

NUGGET OF NOTE: Williams turned in one of the best performances of her short high school career. Her 24 points were the second-highest total in a game, her seven assists were a career-high and her six rebounds were one off a personal best.

FINAL GAME STATS

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

Points per game: Azyiah Williams (12.8), Paige Ayler (6.8), Morgan Hills (5.7)

Assists per game: Azyiah Williams (3.0), Paige Ayler (1.1), Ali Kirk (0.9)

Rebounds per game: Paige Ayler (5.9), Ali Kirk (4.6), Carlie Duesing (4.3)

Steals: Azyiah Williams (58), Ali Kirk (31), Carlie Duesing/Caitlin Wiscombe (25)

Blocks: Abby Thierauf (16), Carlie Duesing (15), Caitlin Wiscombe (8)

Field goal percentage: Azyiah Williams (.412), Paige Ayler (.403), Carlie Duesing (.383)

Three-point percentage: Azyiah Williams (.337), Paige Ayler (.293), Morgan Hills (.269)

Free throw percentage: Ali Kirk (.750), Paige Ayler (.692), Morgan Hills (.649)

INSIDE THE ECC: Walnut Hills has wrapped up its third straight ECC Championship and are finished unbeaten in league play for the second straight year. West Clermont took second at 10-4, ahead of a tie for third between Loveland and Kings, each at 9-5. Anderson was next in the final rundown at 8-6, with Milford and Turpin sharing sixth at 3-11 and Withrow rounding out the standings at 0-14.

The schedule for ECC teams competing in the second round of the tournament includes: No. 3 Walnut Hills vs. No. 27 Middletown (Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m. at Sycamore), No. 7 West Clermont vs. No. 9 Fairfield (Feb. 20, 6:00 p.m. at Lakota East), No. 8 Loveland vs. No. 17 Winton Woods (Feb. 19, 7:30 p.m. at Sycamore), No. 12 Anderson vs. No. 11 Little Miami (Feb. 21, 6:00 p.m. at Lakota East), No. 20 Milford vs. No. 1 Mount Notre Dame (Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m. at Lakota East), No. 25 Turpin vs. No. 14 Ursuline (Feb. 20, 6:00 p.m. at Sycamore) and No. 29 Withrow vs. No. 2 Lakota West (Feb. 19, 7:00 p.m. at Lakota East).

Milford Eagles Season/Career Highs

Paige Ayler

Points—Season: 21 at Withrow; Career: 21 at Withrow (2018-19)

Rebounds—Season: 10 three times; Career: 10 three times (2018-19)

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

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

Double-doubles—Season: 1; Career: 1

Emily Bientz

Points—Season: 7 at Shroder; Career: 7 at Shroder (2018-19)

Rebounds—Season: 4 at Shroder; Career: 4 at Shroder (2018-19)

Assists—Season: 1 ten times; Career: 1 ten times (2018-19)

Carlie Duesing

Points—Season: 8 vs. Harrison; Career: 8 twice

Rebounds—Season: 10 at Shroder; Career: 10 at Shroder (2018-19)

Assists—Season: 2 vs. Clark Montessori; Career: 2 vs. Clark Montessori (2018-19)

Blocks—Season: 3 vs. Withrow; Career: 3 vs. Withrow (2018-19)

Steals—Season: 4 vs. Clark Montessori; Career: 4 vs. Clark Montessori (2018-19)

Kaitlyn Geis

Points—Season: 10 vs. Loveland; Career: 10 vs. Loveland (2018-19)

Rebounds—Season: 5 vs. Turpin; Career: 5 vs. Turpin (2018-19)

Assists—Season: 2 three times; Career: 2 three times (2018-19)

Steals—Season: 4 at Winton Woods; Career: 4 at Winton Woods (2018-19)

Olivia Gentry

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

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

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Madalyn Hills

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

Rebounds—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Assists—Season: 1 twice; Career: 1 twice (2018-19)

Morgan Hills

Points—Season: 16 vs. West Clermont; Career: 16 vs. West Clermont (2018-19)

Rebounds—Season: 5 at Winton Woods; Career: 6 vs. Withrow (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 2 four times; Career: 4 at Hughes (2017-18)

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

Ali Kirk

Points—Season: 18 at Oak Hills; Career: 18 at Oak Hills (2018-19)

Rebounds—Season: 10 vs. Little Miami; Career: 10 twice

Assists—Season: 3 vs. Little Miami; Career: 3 twice

Steals—Season: 7 at Shroder; Career: 7 at Shroder (2018-19)

Kaylie McKenney

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

Rebounds—Season: 3 at Shroder; Career: 3 at Shroder (2018-19)

Assists—Season: 1 at Hillsboro; Career: 1 at Hillsboro (2018-19)

Blocks—Season: 2 vs. Walnut Hills; Career: 2 vs. Walnut Hills (2018-19)

Devin Morris

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

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

Assists— Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Abby Thierauf

Points—Season: 10 twice; Career: 14 at Hughes (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 6 vs. Withrow; Career: 14 vs. Northwest (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 1 five times; Career: 2 six times (2017-18)

Blocks—Season: 3 three times; Career: 6 vs. Shroder (2017-18)

Steals—Season: 3 at Anderson; Career: 3 at Anderson (2018-19)

Caitlin Wiscombe

Points—Season: 6 four times; Career: 13 vs. Winton Woods (2017-18)

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

Assists—Season: 2 three times; Career: 5 at Hughes (2017-18)

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

Azyiah Williams

Points—Season: 26 vs. Loveland; Career: 26 vs. Loveland (2018-19)

Rebounds—Season: 7 twice; Career: 7 three times

Assists—Season: 7 vs. Harrison; Career: 7 vs. Harrison (2018-19)

Steals—Season: 6 at Oak Hills; 10 at Hughes (2017-18)