The Hill City Ringnecks will face off against the Russell Broncos at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. The timing isn't great for Hill City: they have been struggling with eight straight losses at home dating back to last season, while Russell has snatched up three consecutive wins on the road.
Hill City is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They came out on top against Thunder Ridge by a score of 45-32 on Monday.
Hill City's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Rylie Minium, who dropped a double-double with 15 points and ten rebounds. With that strong performance, Minium is now averaging an impressive 2.2 steals per game. Sada Nelson was another key player, going 5-for-10 to rack up 15 points and six boards.
Meanwhile, Russell strolled past Trego with points to spare on Friday, taking the game 48-30. The win continues a trend for the Broncos in their matchups with the Golden Eagles: they've now won three in a row.
Russell's win came from a few key players Hill City will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Kelvie Reeves, who dropped a double-double with 11 points and 12 steals. She is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in each of the last 22 games she's played dating back to last season. Another player making a difference was Aubrey Birney, who dropped a double-double with 13 points and ten rebounds.
Russell smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in five consecutive matchups.
Hill City's victory ended a 20-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 1-17. As for Russell, they now have a winning record of 10-9.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Hill City has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 21.4 boards per game. However, it's not like Russell struggles in that department as they've been averaging 25.4 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Hill City took a serious blow against Russell when the teams last played back in February of 2024, falling 60-32. Thankfully for Hill City, Anna Thielen (who went 6-for-12 on her way to 18 points along with six boards and five assists) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
