Upper Scioto Valley has enjoyed the comforts of home their last three games, but now they'll head out on the road. They will face off against the Hardin Northern Polar Bears at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.
Last Saturday, Upper Scioto Valley came up short against the Redskins and fell 41-29. While losing is never fun, Upper Scioto Valley can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked 710th, while the Redskins are ranked 240th).
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Brielle Cotterman, who scored eight points along with eight rebounds. Layla Hunsicker was another key contributor, scoring five points along with five rebounds and two steals.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 57 points the game before, Hardin Northern were a bit more limited in their game on Monday. They were beaten by New Bremen 46-10. Hardin Northern was in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 31-3.
Despite the loss, Hardin Northern saw an underclassman step up: Alaina Thomas scored ten points along with four steals. Thomas hasn't dropped below two steals for four straight games.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Hardin Northern struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only four offensive rebounds. They are winless (0-3) when they can't control their own glass like that.
Upper Scioto Valley's loss was their fourth straight at home, which dropped their record down to 5-15. As for Hardin Northern, they have not been sharp recently as the team's lost 11 of their last 12 contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 3-16 record this season.
Upper Scioto Valley was dealt a bruising 53-24 defeat at the hands of the Polar Bears when the teams last played back in January of 2023. Can Upper Scioto Valley avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
