SETTING THE SCENE: After picking up what should prove to be an important Eastern Cincinnati Conference victory in its last outing against Anderson, the Milford High School boys basketball team will take to its home court in the coming week for two more league match-ups. Clutching a 2-1 overall record and off to a 1-0 league start, the Eagles will open this week by hosting arch-rival Loveland on Tuesday, before Glen Este comes calling on Friday. Both games will tip off at 7:30 p.m. inside the MHS Gymnasium.

A LOOK BACK: December 6 at Princeton: Princeton 65, Milford 57 (OT)

THE SHORT STORY

Milford was held to just two points in overtime after a tough fourth quarter as Princeton overcame a seven-point deficit after each of the second and third quarters. The Eagles led by a 47-40 count after three quarters of play, but scored just 10 points in the final 12 minutes of play as the Vikings picked up the non-conference victory.

RECORDS

Milford 1-1

Princeton 1-1

KEY PLAYERS

Milford

Matt Kirk 16 points

Nathan Gallimore 12 points

Jacob Riesenberg 10 points, 5 rebounds

Princeton

Darweshi Hunter 30 points

Aaron Levy 17 points

NUGGET OF NOTE: The game featured the renewal of a rivalry between two former Greater Miami Conference rivals as the squads met for the first time since 2009-10.

FINAL GAME STATS LINK

December 9 vs. Anderson: Milford 50, Anderson 37

THE SHORT STORY

The Eagles used an 11-0 run early in the fourth quarter to snap a 34-all tie and pull away from Anderson in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference opener for both squads. In a tightly contested game that featured seven ties and 14 lead changes, Milford made 5 of 10 field goals and 6 of 7 free throws in the deciding fourth quarter to secure its 12^th win in its last 13 tries against the Redskins.

RECORDS

Milford 2-1, 1-0 Eastern Cincinnati Conference

Anderson 1-1, 0-1 Eastern Cincinnati Conference

KEY PLAYERS

Milford

Jacob Riesenberg 14 points, 5 rebounds

Matt Kirk 12 points, 9 rebounds

Anderson

Ben Sommer 12 points

NUGGET OF NOTE: After scoring just four points all of last season, senior Jacob Riesenberg set a new career-high for the second game in a row when he tallied 14 to lead all players.

FINAL GAME STATS LINK

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

• Tuesday, Dec. 13 vs. Loveland, 7:30 p.m.
• 2016-17 Record: 2-1, 1-0 ECC (RV Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
• Top Scorer: Sophomore Tripp Willis (9.3 ppg)
• Last Meeting: 2016-17; Milford 49, Loveland 44 & Milford 60, Loveland 48
• Friday, Dec. 16 vs. Glen Este, 7:30 p.m.
• 2016-17 Record: 1-1, 0-0 ECC (RV Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
• Top Scorer: Junior A.J. Zambenedetti (12.5 ppg)
• Last Meeting: 2015-16; Milford 43, Glen Este 39 & Milford 67, Glen Este 53

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: A look at Milford’s statistical leaders through 3 games:

Points per game: Matt Kirk (14.0), Wes Reid (12.0), Jacob Riesenberg (10.0)

Assists per game: Nathan Gallimore (3.7), Wes Reid (1.7), Three Tied (1.3)

Rebounds per game: Matt Kirk (5.7), Wes Reid (4.7), Jacob Riesenberg (4.0)

Steals: Nathan Gallimore (3), Jack Hannah (2), Five Tied (1)

Blocks: Jacob Riesenberg (2), Nathan Gallimore/Hunter Pollitt (1)

Field goal percentage: Wes Reid (.750), Jacob Riesenberg (.545), Nathan Gallimore (.455)

Three-point percentage: Wes Reid (.750), Jake Ayler (.333), Nathan Gallimore (.286)

Free throw percentage: Wes Reid (1.000), Jacob Riesenberg (.750), Jake Ayler (.714)

INSIDE THE ECC: Three teams (Kings, Loveland and Milford) each picked up Eastern Cincinnati Conference season-opening wins and show atop the standings. After knocking off Walnut Hills in its opener, Withrow fell to Kings last Friday and sits fourth at 1-1. The schedule of ECC conference games this week includes: Tuesday-Loveland at Milford, Glen Este at Turpin and Kings at Anderson; Friday-Glen Este at Milford, Turpin at Walnut Hills, Loveland at Kings and Anderson at Withrow.

POLL WATCH: Milford continues to receive votes in the weekly Cincinnati Enquirer Division I area coaches’ poll. Moeller holds a slim lead at the top of the rankings on the strength of seven of the 10 first place votes that were cast. LaSalle holds down second, with Mason (one vote), Oak Hills (two votes) and Lakota East wrapping up the top-five. Kings is the first of the Eastern Cincinnati Conference squads to be ranked, coming in sixth, with Withrow in eighth, Walnut Hills in ninth and Loveland joining the Eagles in others 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: 8 at Princeton; Career: 8 at Princeton (2016-17)

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

Assists—Season: 2 vs. Sycamore; Career: 2 vs. Sycamore (2016-17)

Caleb Farrell

Points—Season: 2 vs. Anderson; Career: 2 vs. Anderson (2016-17)

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

Assists—Season: 2 vs. Sycamore; Career: 2 vs. Sycamore (2016-17)

Nathan Gallimore

Points—Season: 12 at Princeton; Career: 12 at Princeton (2016-17)

Rebounds—Season: 4 vs. Sycamore; Career: 4 vs. Sycamore (2016-17)

Assists—Season: 5 vs. Sycamore; Career: 5 vs. Sycamore (2016-17)

Jack Hannah

Points—Season: 2 twice; Career: 2 twice (2106-17)

Rebounds—Season: 4 vs. Anderson; Career: 4 vs. Anderson (2016-17)

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

Diomante Johnson

Points—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Rebounds—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Blake King

Points—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Rebounds—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Matt Kirk

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

Rebounds—Season: 9 vs. Anderson; Career: 9 vs. Anderson (2016-17)

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

Kyle Minton

Points—Season: 3 vs. Anderson; Career: 3 vs. Anderson (2016-17)

Rebounds—Season: 1 at Princeton; Career: 1 at Princeton (2016-17)

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Hunter Pollitt

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

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

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

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: 3 at Princeton; Career: 3 four times

Jacob Riesenberg

Points—Season: 14 vs. Anderson; Career: 14 vs. Anderson (2016-17)

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

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

Aaron Salva

Points—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Rebounds—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Brady Sluder

Points—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Rebounds—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A