Basketball Game Preview: Alcona Tigers vs. Ellsworth Lancers

The Alcona Tigers will face off against the Ellsworth Lancers at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Two weeks ago, Alcona didn't have too much trouble with Hale as they won 55-36. Given the Tigers' advantage in MaxPreps' Michigan basketball rankings (they are ranked 282nd, while the Eagles are ranked 585th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Alcona had a senior duo take command as Evan Borsvold went 11 for 16 on his way to 23 points in addition to seven rebounds and six steals and Ricky Schott posted 13 points in addition to six assists and six boards. With that strong performance, Borsvold is now averaging an impressive 2.2 steals per game.

Alcona smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 21 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 11 offensive boards in five consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Ellsworth ended the year with a bang, routing Central Lake 54-29 on Saturday. The Lancers have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won three games by 25 points or more this season.

Ellsworth has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 4-3 record this season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 56.5 points per game. As for Alcona, their victory bumped their record up to 4-2.