Basketball Game Preview: Hilliard Darby Panthers vs. Marysville Monarchs

The Hilliard Darby Panthers will take on the Marysville Monarchs at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Hilliard Darby is coming into the contest hot, having won their last four games.

While Hilliard Darby didn't have the best season last year (they finished 4-19), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They walked away with a 51-41 win over Hilliard Davidson on Tuesday. Given the Panthers' advantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked 53rd, while the Wildcats are ranked 221st), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Meanwhile, Marysville came into Tuesday's game having lost three straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They came out on top against Hilliard Bradley by a score of 54-47 on Tuesday.

Hilliard Darby's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 9-1. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 60.7 points per game. As for Marysville, their win ended a seven-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 5-6.

Hilliard Darby came up short against Marysville in their previous meeting back in January of 2024, falling 58-49. Can Hilliard Darby avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.