SETTING THE SCENE: The change to 2017 on the calendar brings a return to the rigors of Eastern Cincinnati Conference play for the Milford High School girls basketball team after a two-week pause around the holidays. After dropping four straight league match-ups during the middle part of December, the Eagles closed out the calendar year with back-to-back non-conference wins to improve to 4-5 on the season. Milford will look to build on a 1-4 league record this week with a visit from ECC-leading Kings, before taking to the road to Withrow later this week. Fans should take note that Saturday’s game vs. Withrow will be played at Clark Montessori School, NOT at Withrow.
A LOOK BACK: December 29 at Northwest: Milford 61, Northwest 34
THE SHORT STORY
The Eagles led from start to finish, racing to a 25-point halftime lead and never looking back as they won their second straight, a 61-34 triumph over Northwest. The win was Milford’s sixth straight regular season non-conference road victory and eighth in a row overall against Northwest.
RECORDS
Milford 4-5
Northwest 4-3
KEY PLAYERS
Milford
Tori Gilman 16 points
Hannah Thierauf 14 points, 6 steals
Hayden White 9 points, 11 rebounds
Northwest
Brieunna Grant 9 points
Fatimah Shabazz 8 points
NUGGET OF NOTE: Senior Katelyn Rheude enjoyed a solid game, picking up career-highs with nine rebounds and four assists, while tacking on eight points and four steals.
A LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS: A look at Milford’s schedule for the upcoming week:
- Wednesday, Jan. 4 vs. Kings, 7:30 p.m.
- 2016-17 Record: 8-0, 5-0 ECC (8th Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
- Top Scorer: Sophomore Carolyn Bruns (11.4 ppg)
- Last Meeting: 2015-16; Milford 54, Kings 39 & Milford 38, Kings 25
- Saturday, Jan. 7 vs. Withrow (at Clark Montessori), 2:00 p.m.
- 2016-17 Record: 4-4, 1-4 ECC (NR Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
- Top Scorer: Junior Jerria White (17.3 ppg)
- Last Meeting: 2015-16; Milford 68, Withrow 41 & Milford 65, Withrow 33
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: A look at Milford’s statistical leaders through 9 games:
Points per game: Tori Gilman (15.0), Hannah Thierauf (12.3), Ashli Sheldon (5.9)
Assists per game: Tori Gilman (3.1), Katelyn Rheude (1.3), Hannah Thierauf (1.1)
Rebounds per game: Hayden White (6.9), Olivia Redrow (5.3), Katelyn Rheude (5.1)
Steals: Tori Gilman (42), Hannah Thierauf (20), Katelyn Rheude (18)
Blocks: Hayden White (7), Four tied (3)
Field goal percentage: Tori Gilman (.442), Hannah Thierauf (.354), Ashli Sheldon (.309)
Three-point percentage: Hannah Thierauf (.469), Tori Gilman/Ashli Sheldon (.250)
Free throw percentage: Katelyn Rheude/Hannah Thierauf (.824), Tori Gilman (.565)
INSIDE THE ECC: The lead in the current Eastern Cincinnati Conference standings belongs to Kings as the Knights have opened the season 8-0 overall and 5-0 in league play. Turpin and Walnut Hills with just one league loss each are hot on the heels of Kings. The schedule of ECC conference games this week includes: Wednesday-Kings at Milford, Glen Este at Anderson, Withrow at Turpin and Loveland at Walnut Hills; Saturday-Milford at Withrow, Glen Este at Loveland, Turpin at Anderson and Walnut Hills at Kings.
POLL WATCH: Milford did not receive any votes in this week’s edition of the Division I area coaches’ poll, presented by the Cincinnati Enquirer and released on Jan. 2. Mason continues to be the heavy favorite, earning 12 of the 16 first place votes. Lakota West with one vote, Mount Notre Dame with two votes, McAuley with one vote and ECC member Walnut Hills make up the top-five. The ECC is also represented by Kings in eighth and Glen Este in a tie for ninth, along with Turpin receiving votes. The coaches’ poll is released every Monday at Noon at preps.cincinnati.com/coachespolls.
Milford Eagles Season/Career Highs
Kyrsten Brown
Points—Season: 2 at Seton; Career: 2 at Seton (2016-17)
Rebounds—Season: 2 twice; Career: 2 twice (2016-17)
Assists—Season: 1 twice; Career: 1 twice (2016-17)
Tori Gilman
Points—Season: 29 vs. Princeton; Career: 29 vs. Princeton (2016-17)
Rebounds—Season: 6 at Anderson; Career: 7 vs. Anderson (2015-16)
Assists—Season: 6 at Winton Woods; Career: 6 twice
Ali Kirk
Points—Season: 5 at Seton; Career: 5 at Seton (2016-17)
Rebounds—Season: 4 vs. Princeton; Career: vs. Princeton (2016-17)
Assists—Season: 2 at Anderson; Career: 2 at Anderson (2016-17)
Maddie Plucinski
Points—Season: N/A; Career: N/A
Rebounds—Season: N/A; Career: N/A
Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A
Olivia Redrow
Points—Season: 9 vs. Princeton; Career: 9 vs. Princeton (2016-17)
Rebounds—Season: 10 vs. Glen Este; Career: 10 vs. Glen Este (2016-17)
Assists—Season: 3 at Anderson; Career: 3 at Anderson (2016-17)
Katelyn Rheude
Points—Season: 10 at Loveland; Career: 12 at Anderson (2015-16)
Rebounds—Season: 9 at Northwest; Career: 9 at Northwest (2016-17)
Assists—Season: 4 at Northwest; Career: 4 at Northwest (2016-17)
Bryn Rolfsen
Points—Season: 5 vs. Walnut Hills; Career: 5 vs. Walnut Hills (2016-17)
Rebounds—Season: 5 vs. Princeton; Career: 5 vs. Princeton (2016-17)
Assists—Season: 1 twice; Career: 1 twice (2016-17)
Ashli Sheldon
Points—Season: 12 at Northwest; Career: 12 at Northwest (2016-17)
Rebounds—Season: 7 vs. Princeton; Career: 7 vs. Princeton (2016-17)
Assists—Season: 2 at Northwest; Career: 2 at Northwest (2016-17)
Abby Thierauf
Points—Season: N/A; Career: N/A
Rebounds—Season: N/A; Career: N/A
Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A
Hannah Thierauf
Points—Season: 22 at Winton Woods; Career: 22 at Winton Woods (2016-17)
Rebounds—Season: 7 at Winton Woods; Career: 7 at Winton Woods (2016-17)
Assists—Season: 2 four times; Career: 2 four times (2016-17)
Hayden White
Points—Season: 9 at Northwest; Career: 11 vs. Middletown (2015-16)
Rebounds—Season: 14 at Anderson; Career: 14 at Anderson (2016-17)
Assists—Season: 2 twice; Career: 2 eight times