Basketball Game Preview: Rootstown Rovers vs. Columbia Raiders

The Rootstown Rovers will head out to square off against the Columbia Raiders at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

Columbia will face off against a team with plenty of momentum: Rootstown extended their winning streak to ten on Wednesday. The Rovers put the hurt on Kirtland with a sharp 49-29 win. Given the Rovers' advantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked 130th, while the Hornets are ranked 545th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.

Meanwhile, everything came up roses for Columbia against Clearview on Wednesday as the squad secured a 59-10 victory. That looming 59-10 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Raiders yet this season.

Rootstown's win bumped their record up to 14-2. As for Columbia, their victory bumped their record up to 14-6.

Rootstown won a matchup that couldn't have been any closer in their previous matchup back in November of 2024, slipping by Columbia 70-69. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Rovers since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.