Basketball Game Preview: Hilltop Cadets vs. Ayersville Pilots

Hilltop is 0-3 against Ayersville since December of 2015 but things could change on Friday. The two teams will round out the year against one another at at 3:30 p.m. Hilltop will be coming into the contest with an undefeated record on the line.

Last Thursday, Hilltop earned a 48-41 win over Liberty Center. Given the Cadets' advantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked 125th, while the Tigers are ranked 531st), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Meanwhile, it may have taken overtime to finish the job, but Ayersville ultimately got the result they hoped for on Monday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 45-43 victory over Edgerton. The Pilots' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.

With the win, Ayersville broke their five-game losing streak and moved their record to 2-7. As for Hilltop, their victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-0.

Hilltop took a serious blow against Ayersville in their previous matchup back in December of 2018, falling 50-15. Can Hilltop avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.