Basketball Game Preview: Marlington Dukes vs. Sandy Valley Cardinals

The Marlington Dukes will head out to challenge the Sandy Valley Cardinals at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this game.

On Friday, Marlington ended up a good deal behind Alliance and lost 61-44.

Meanwhile, Sandy Valley lost to Malvern on the road by a 71-53 margin on Friday. While losing is never fun, the Cardinals can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked 457th, while the Hornets are ranked 177th).

Marlington's defeat dropped their record down to 7-5. As for Sandy Valley, they have been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-7 record this season.

Marlington ended up a good deal behind Sandy Valley when the teams last played back in January of 2024, losing 63-44. Can Marlington avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.