Basketball Game Preview: Marlington Dukes vs. Alliance Aviators

Marlington hasn't had much luck against Alliance recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Marlington Dukes will be playing at home against the Alliance Aviators at 6:45 p.m. Marlington will be strutting in after a victory while Alliance will be coming in after a loss.

Last Saturday, Marlington was able to grind out a solid win over Tuscarawas Valley, taking the game 64-53. Given the Dukes' advantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked 244th, while the Trojans are ranked 622nd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Meanwhile, Alliance was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap on Tuesday as they fell 51-46 to New Philadelphia. The Aviators have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Marlington has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five games, which provided a nice bump to their 12-7 record this season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 57.2 points per game. As for Alliance, their defeat dropped their record down to 11-7.

Things could have been worse for Marlington, but things could have been a whole lot better as they took a 61-44 loss to Alliance in their previous matchup back in January. Will Marlington have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.