Basketball Game Preview: Martins Ferry Purple Riders vs. Bellaire Big Reds

Martins Ferry is on a four-game streak of home wins, while Bellaire is on a five-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Martins Ferry Purple Riders will host the Bellaire Big Reds at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

Last Monday, Martins Ferry was fully in charge, breezing past Buckeye Local 75-18. While fans of the Purple Riders might be used to big wins, the 57-point margin marked the team's biggest one yet.

Meanwhile, everything came up roses for Bellaire against Shadyside on Monday as the squad secured a 61-26 win. The matchup was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 38-14.

Martins Ferry better keep an eye on Zara Harveth. She was instrumental in Bellaire's win, going 11 of 26 on her way to 30 points and seven rebounds. Harveth's evening made it three games in a row in which she has scored at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Rhyan O'Grady, who posted ten points and four steals.

Bellaire was working as a unit and finished the game with 13 assists. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their assist total in four consecutive games.

Martins Ferry is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last eight contests, which provided a nice bump to their 8-4 record this season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 64.1 points per game. As for Bellaire, their victory bumped their record up to 12-1.

Martins Ferry came up short against Bellaire in their previous matchup back in December of 2024, falling 72-60. Will Martins Ferry have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.