This is a big rivalry usually but it would be a huge upset if the Red Devils could pull it off I personally don’t see it happening.

This is a big rivalry usually but it would be a huge upset if the Red Devils could pull it off I personally don’t see it happening.

 

Surely there is a team in the 16th that can beat Ashland.

Surely there is a team in the 16th that can beat Ashland.

 

Absolutely, just no team as good and it's unlikely to happen.

Surely there is a team in the 16th that can beat Ashland.

 

Anything can happen when Ashland has an off night shooting and that will most certainly happen at some point. But when Ashland is playing their best they're probably 15-20 points better than anyone in the region. That's not me as an Ashland fan saying that, just how I see it.

 

Ashland is a big man away from being a really special team. That said, the 16th region teams that have the best chance to upset Ashland are gonna be the teams that have a really good big man, post player. Greenup comes to mind with Dryden but from what I have seen out of them he's not being utilized properly. Spends a lot of time on offense at the top of the key, rather than down low, that won't work for him against Ashland. Honestly I believe Greenup would have beat Raceland if they used him down low more often.

Russell might be well served to slow the game down and utilize Brady Bell and Chuck Bechtel's size in the half court. Both are about 6'5" and score the ball well around the basket. That might be Russell's only advantage here.

Surely there is a team in the 16th that can beat Ashland.

 

Boyd or Rowan possibly. I personally think those are the only two and they will have to play very well and Ashland being a little off imo. The 16th is pretty week other than the Tomcats.

I wouldn't be surprised if Ashland wins by 20+. This just isn't the year for Russell to beat Ashland in basketball due to Ashland having a good shooting team all around.

Russell might be well served to slow the game down and utilize Brady Bell and Chuck Bechtel's size in the half court. Both are about 6'5" and score the ball well around the basket. That might be Russell's only advantage here.

 

That would be my key to the game but it's easier said than done. Several teams have tried to slow Ashland down and kept things really close for the first half. Mays makes great halftime adjustments, speeds the game up and then the next thing you know Ashland is up by 20. Given that the team is basically all guards Ashland can apply enough defensive pressure to speed the game up when they want/need to.

 

Trinity has done the best job of slowing Ashland down so far, but they are also an excellent defensive team. To me the Shamrocks defense slowed Ashland down, as opposed to their style of play. I'm just not sure if anyone in the 16th can do that though. That said Ashland will take some losses in the region, from who is anyone's guess though.

Boyd or Rowan possibly. I personally think those are the only two and they will have to play very well and Ashland being a little off imo. The 16th is pretty week other than the Tomcats.

 

Yeah, I saw Ashland against Trinity, believe they would struggle in a lot other regions.

Yeah, I saw Ashland against Trinity, believe they would struggle in a lot other regions.

 

Trinity is a hard game to judge Ashland on. Ashland has 7 or so wins against teams that I would consider better than Trinity. Ashland looked bad against Trinity but I credit that to Trinity's defense, they seem to make a lot of teams "look bad" due to the low scoring games.

 

For whatever reason Trinity is still struggling to win those games even though they keep the score low and close. That said, it's hard for me to judge any particular team that has played Trinity based off from that one game alone. They remind me of Virginia in college ball, they're just struggling to get the win in those close, low scoring games.

The last time Russell and Ashland's boys played, the Red Devils gutted out a 49-44 win. Last night the Lady Devils defeated Ashland's girls 49-44 on the same floor where the boys play in a couple of hours.

 

Clearly this means that Russell gets the win tonight. Mark it down.

Starting lineups:

 

Ashland - Colin Porter, Cole Villers, Ethan Hudson, Ethan Sellars, Justin Bradley

 

Russell - Charlie Jachimczuk, Tristan Miller, Brady Bell, Griffin Downs, Max Cantrell

 

Tip-off coming shortly.

3-2 Ashland. 6:45 1st

6-2

9-2 5:30 1st.