Friday Games to Watch
The top games to watch on Friday in Central Ohio
We have a handful of big games, with most of them coming outside of the OCC. Here are the biggest games with the most on the line for Friday.
#4 Delaware Hayes (12-2) at #1 (D2) Westerville North (12-2)
The OCC-Capital is on the line tonight on County Line Road. Delaware Hayes comes in looking for revenge and holding an 8-game win streak. Westerville North has been even better, winning 11-straight games, with that win streak starting on Dec. 13 when they took down Hayes 65-56. The guard play and defensive pressure of North was too much to handle for Hayes in that matchup, as the Pacers fell behind early and were never able to overcome. Hayes is hoping things will be different this time around, as this squad is playing good basketball and has defeated tough teams recently like Brunswick, Western Reserve, Pickerington North and Big Walnut (twice). Westerville North has been no slouch either, taking down teams like Massillon Jackson, Big Walnut and Northland. Something will need to give here, as a North win will basically gift wrap an outright OCC title for them, while a Hayes win would knot things at the top of the league and help the Pacers go back-to-back. Hayes and North have been at the top of the league standings dating back to the beginning of the 2022-23 season, with both teams finishing either first or second in every season.
#5 (D4/D5) River Valley (11-2) at #4 (D3) Marion Harding (13-2)
It gets no bigger than this in the MOAC as rivals do battle with first place on the line. River Valley makes the short trip across US-33 as winners of four-straight and holding a 7-1 record in league play. Marion Harding comes in as winners of 10-straight and holding an 8-1 record in the MOAC. Marion Harding’s only loss in the league came at River Valley on Dec. 14, 64-56. The Presidents have been on fire recently, not losing since that last matchup against River Valley. A win for River Valley sets them up nicely to run the table in the MOAC, as they have already defeated the only team to hand them a loss in league play, Pleasant, on Jan. 18.