Girls Game
The ETHS Girls Basketball team will be heavily favored against the Trevians, entering the matchup with high expectations following a dominant 67–35 road victory back in November. That win was fueled by outstanding performances from sophomore Charity Bryant, who scored 29 points, and Payton King, who added 19. The game marked a pivotal turning point for both players after struggles in previous seasons. Bryant dealt with inconsistency, scoring 30 points one game and barely registering in the next, while King missed the majority of last season due to a concussion. Since that matchup with the Trevians, the duo has emerged as the Kits’ standout performers, just as head coach Brittany Johnson predicted in a preseason interview.
The Kits enter the game with a 6–6 overall record but are 4–1 in conference play. Their first conference loss came Tuesday night in an overtime thriller against Maine South at Beardsley, falling 63–57. Despite the loss, there were plenty of positives, as the Kits went toe-to-toe with a highly ranked and competitive Hawks team and even held a seven-point lead late in the fourth quarter. Seniors Sandra Deeney and Havana van Wyk have impressed in recent weeks and will be key contributors in Friday night’s showdown.
The Trevians come into the matchup on a three-game losing streak and sit at 7–11 overall with a 2–3 conference record, lacking a clear go-to star. The girls’ game is scheduled to tip off at 6:00 p.m.
Boys Game
The ETHS Boys Basketball team enters its highly anticipated matchup against the Trevians with a 12–3 overall record and a perfect 4–0 mark in conference play. They will face a Trevians squad that is 13–3 overall and 3–0 in conference play. The Trevians have consistently been ranked inside the top ten in the state by nearly every major poll, while the Kits typically sit just outside the top twenty. However, the Kits have not lost a competitive home game in nearly two years, with their last home defeat coming against Loyola on January 23, 2023.
Last season, the Kits swept the Trevians both home and away, a campaign that ultimately led to a third-place finish at the state tournament. Only one starter returns from that squad—junior forward Vito Rocca—but the Kits still boast a dynamic starting five featuring juniors Dion Lane Jr. and Tate Schroeder, sophomore Ben Ojala, and senior Timi Ogunsanya alongside Rocca. Lane Jr. and Ojala have provided offensive creativity, reliable three-point shooting, and strong perimeter defense. Rocca has been a rebounding force and has done an excellent job handling opposing big men. Schroeder and Ogunsanya have also played key roles both in the paint and on the perimeter.
The Kits thrive on team basketball, spreading the ball and committing collectively on the defensive end. In contrast, the Trevians rely more heavily on individual star power. Senior Christopher Kirkpatrick, a Princeton commit, has been their standout player for several seasons but is questionable for Friday’s game after suffering an injury on a game-winning shot attempt on December 20. Freshman Denym Wallace has emerged as a breakout star, and he, along with Elton Jaegerskog, will be the Kits’ primary defensive concerns.
The boys’ game will tip off at 7:30 p.m., or shortly after the conclusion of the girls’ game.
