AuSable Valley is 0-10 against Moriah since February of 2021 but things could change on Friday. The AuSable Valley Patriots will host the Moriah Vikings at 7:00 p.m.
AuSable Valley is headed into Friday's contest looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their fourth straight game on Friday. They took a hard 62-45 fall against Beekmantown.
AuSable Valley's loss came about despite a quality game from Celton Dupis, who went 7 of 13 en route to 15 points and six boards. Another player making a difference was Aiden Blaise, who posted 11 points and seven rebounds.
Meanwhile, Moriah entered their tilt with Saranac on Friday with four consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with five. They blew past the Spartans 60-39. Given the Vikings' advantage in MaxPreps' New York basketball rankings (they are ranked 159th, while the Spartans are ranked 588th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
AuSable Valley better keep an eye on Cooper Allen. He was instrumental in Moriah's win, dropping a double-double on 32 points and ten boards. Allen's evening made it 18 games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. Joe Pelkey was another key player, putting up five points along with six assists and five rebounds.
Moriah smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with ten offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive rebounds in three consecutive matches.
Moriah pushed their record up to 9-2 with the victory, which was their 15th straight at home dating back to last season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 69.1 points per game. As for AuSable Valley, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-10.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: AuSable Valley has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 26.3 boards per game. However, it's not like Moriah struggles in that department as they've been averaging 36.9 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
AuSable Valley came up short against Moriah when the teams last played back in December of 2024, falling 57-44. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Allen, who dropped a double-double on 18 points and ten boards. Now that AuSable Valley knows the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
