McKinley and Green Bulldogs Face Off for Federal League Top Dog: McKinley v. Green Game Preview
A Closer Look at the Stats and Players to Watch in the Dog Pound.
McKinley travels to Green tonight to attempt to win at least a share of the Federal League basketball title.
Here’s what you need to know before they tip-off for a Federal League title at Green High School.
Similar Bulldog Backgrounds
McKinley entered their game against Massillon on Tuesday this week without their junior guard, Jaylen Jeter, who was nursing an ankle injury. However, the Bulldogs remain optimistic and are keeping their fingers crossed for Jeter's return tonight. McKinley also saw a season-high performance for the Federal League’s leading scorer, Reed Sims Jr. What's even more astonishing is that his 11 made free throws in the third alone were more than Massillon's entire team managed to make throughout the entire game. In total, Massillon only made ten out of their 23 free throw attempts for the entire game, while Reed made 27 out of 33 attempts. McKinley won by ten, with a final score of 84-74.
“When you go in games and you have 21-22 points in a quarter, which he had last Saturday against Brunswick…[he is] a really good player.” Kinsley said on Sims Jr.
Green went buzzer to buzzer with Hoban the same day, but fell short in the second half. Similar to McKinley, they’re currently down two starters (senior guard Lucas Bitong and junior guard Antonio Martin), being replaced by underclassman counterpart Sam Dubravetz. Green lost 64-45. Senior Brady Rollyson found most of his points in the second half, finishing with 17 points. Jarrett Taylor, a Green senior forward, had 14.
Massillon has played both teams, and lost to Green by a larger margin (84-59 Green).
Green has also won two Fed. titles in the past three years, hoping to go back-to-back after winning one again this year. McKinley hopes to earn their first since the 2020-2021 season.
A win in this crucial game would secure the winner at least a share of the Federal League title. McKinley and Green currently share the top spot in the league standings with identical records of 8-2, and with each having only two league games left, the stakes couldn't be higher.
What do the statistics show?
McKinley's primary scorer, Reed Sims Jr., leads with an average of 20.4 points per game. However, Green's Brady Rollyson follows closely with 17.3 PPG, showcasing a competitive scoring distribution within his team
When analyzing shooting efficiency, McKinley junior Jaylen Jeter displays a respectable field goal percentage 52%, while Green senior center Luke Jansen slightly surpasses on 53%. While Jansen takes less shots, it still stresses Green’s distributed style of play. Additionally, Green's Jarrett Taylor excels in free throw shooting, boasting an impressive free throw percentage of 82%.
In terms of total rebounding, Green outperforms McKinley with Rollyson leading in rebounds with 115 and Jarrett Taylor closely following with 130 rebounds, compared to McKinley's Reed Sims Jr. with 109 rebounds- no teammate coming close.
Both teams exhibit similar assist averages, with McKinley sophomore Davey Thompson recording 56 assists. Green's Jarrett Taylor and Antonio Martin (who is now potentially out for the season) have contributed 63 and 51 assists respectively. They all average around four assists a game.
While McKinley leans heavily on Reed Sims Jr. for scoring, Kinsley’s ‘dogs demonstrate a more balanced scoring distribution; with multiple players contributing effectively. Green's superior free throw shooting and rebounding abilities, along with comparable assist averages, indicate a more well-rounded team performance compared to McKinley.
No doubt this will be an extremely physical game. If their last meeting was any indication, fans will most likely see a close game going into the final minutes.