Basketball Game Preview: Hill City Ringnecks vs. Russell Broncos

Hill City has gone 6-0 against Russell recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Monday. The Hill City Ringnecks will take on the Russell Broncos at 4:30 p.m. Given that both suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this match.

Last Saturday, Hill City was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 41-35 to Phillipsburg. The Ringnecks haven't had much luck with the Panthers recently, as the team's come up short the last two times they've met.

Hill City might have lost, but man, Carson Keith was a machine: he posted 19 points in addition to seven rebounds and four steals. Keith's morning made it three games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Koby Keiswetter, who earned four points.

Meanwhile, Russell was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap on Saturday as they fell 55-51 to Thomas More Prep-Marian.

Hill City will need focus on slowing down Dominick Hernandez, one of several Russell players who made an impact when they last played. He almost dropped a double-double on ten points and nine boards. Mason Rohr was another key player, putting up 12 points and three steals.

Hill City's defeat dropped their record down to 2-6. As for Russell, they now have a losing record at 4-5.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Hill City has been crashing the rebounds this season, having averaged 28.1 boards per game. However, it's not like Russell struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28.9 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

Hill City beat Russell 57-49 in their previous matchup back in February of 2024. Will Hill City repeat their success, or does Russell have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.