Preview: Keystone Wildcats vs. Brookside Cardinals
Keystone has enjoyed the comforts of home their last two games, but now they'll head out on the road. They will square off against the Brookside Cardinals at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Keystone will be strutting in after a victory while Brookside will be coming in after a loss.
Last Friday, in a tight matchup that could have gone either way, Keystone made off with a 31-30 win over Wellington. Given Keystone's advantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked 91st, while Wellington is ranked 271st), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Keystone's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Jessica Forthofer led the charge by scoring nine points along with 11 rebounds and three blocks. Forthofer hasn't dropped below eight rebounds for four straight games. Vivian Cassell was another key contributor, scoring four points along with 13 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Brookside's recent rough patch got a bit rougher last Saturday after their third straight loss. They were dealt a 60-33 defeat at the hands of Black River. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat Brookside has suffered since December 1, 2023.
Keystone pushed their record up to 13-0 with that win, which was their tenth straight at home dating back to last season. As for Brookside, they have traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost five of their last six games, which put a noticeable dent in their 3-9 record this season.
Everything came up roses for Keystone against Brookside when the teams last played back in December of 2023 as the team secured a 66-27 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Keystone since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
