Basketball Game Preview: Botkins Trojans vs. Russia Raiders

The Botkins Trojans will square off against the Russia Raiders at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.

Botkins is probably headed into the match with a chip on their shoulder considering Jackson Center just ended the team's three-game winning streak on Friday. They took a 58-47 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Tigers.

Meanwhile, Russia put another one in the bag on Saturday to keep their perfect season alive. They enjoyed a cozy 60-42 win over Versailles. Given the Raiders' advantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked 20th, while the Tigers are ranked 118th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Russia's victory was their 12th straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 19-0. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 64.9 points per game. As for Botkins, their defeat dropped their record down to 14-4.

Botkins lost to Russia at home by a decisive 57-38 margin in their previous meeting back in December of 2024. Will Botkins have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other basketball content.