Basketball Game Preview: Barberton Magics vs. Highland Hornets

The Barberton Magics will head out on the road to square off against the Highland Hornets at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.

Last Friday, Barberton didn't have quite enough to beat Roosevelt and fell 55-53.

De'Arion Holley

Rebounds

02/07/25 @ Roosevelt	16
02/04/25 vs Tallmadge	14
02/02/25 vs Olentangy	15
01/31/25 @ Cuyahoga Falls	14
01/28/25 @ Jackson	8
+ 14 more games

Despite their loss, Barberton saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. De'Arion Holley, who dropped a double-double with 22 points and 16 rebounds, was perhaps the best of all. Holley is crushing it when it comes to boards: he's pulled down at least eight every time he's taken the court this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Joey Ondo, who posted 16 points in addition to five assists and five rebounds.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Highland, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. They put the hurt on Avon with a sharp 64-44 win on Tuesday. The Hornets have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won eight contests by 20 points or more this season.

Highland pushed their record up to 17-3 with the victory, which was their tenth straight at home dating back to last season. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 63.9 points over those games. As for Barberton, they have traveled a rocky road recently having lost five of their last six games, which has put a noticeable dent in their 10-10 record this season.

Barberton suffered a grim 63-40 defeat to Highland in their previous matchup back in January. Can Barberton avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.