Basketball Game Preview: Ellsworth Panthers vs. Altoona Railroaders

The Ellsworth Panthers will face off against the Altoona Railroaders at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Ellsworth will bounce into Friday's game after beating St. Croix Central, who they had gone 1-8 against in their nine prior meetings. Ellsworth secured a 47-41 W over St. Croix Central on Tuesday. The victory made it back-to-back wins for Ellsworth.

Meanwhile, Altoona posted their closest win since February 6, 2024 on Tuesday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 48-45 victory over Baldwin-Woodville. The 48-point effort marked the Railroaders' lowest-scoring contest of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.

Altoona's win ended a six-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 6-8. As for Ellsworth, their victory bumped their record up to 10-5.

Ellsworth won a match that couldn't have been any closer in their previous matchup back in December of 2024, slipping by Altoona 67-66. Will Ellsworth repeat their success, or does Altoona have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.