Basketball Game Preview: Olentangy Braves vs. Hilliard Darby Panthers

The Olentangy Braves will take on the Hilliard Darby Panthers at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

Having struggled with three defeats in a row, Olentangy turned things around against Barberton on Sunday. They walked away with a 55-48 victory over the Magics. Given the Braves' advantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked 139th, while the Magics are ranked 296th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Olentangy found their leader in sophomore Ty Walburn, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 11 rebounds. Those 11 boards gave Walburn a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Jay Agrawal, who posted 12 points.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Hilliard Darby, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Saturday. They came out on top against Dublin Scioto by a score of 64-55 on Tuesday.

Hilliard Darby's win was their ninth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-2. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 59.7 points per game. As for Olentangy, their victory bumped their record up to 11-7.

Olentangy came up short against Hilliard Darby in their previous meeting back in December of 2024, falling 69-61. Will Olentangy have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.