Preview: Marianna Bulldogs vs. Florida State University High School Seminoles
Marianna and Florida State University High School are an even 5-5 against one another since January of 2018, but not for long. The Marianna Bulldogs will face off against the Florida State University High School Seminoles at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Two teams were on the hunt for playoff glory, but only Marianna walked away with it. They really took it to the Knights for the full four quarters, racking up a 75-41 win on the road. The win was nothing new for Marianna as they're now sitting on 13 straight.
It was another big night for Tra'jan Spears, who went 6 for 10 from beyond the arc en route to 21 points and 4 assists. The team also got some help courtesy of Mason Mobley, who scored 13 points along with two steals.
Meanwhile, Florida State University High School waltzed into their match on Thursday with four straight wins but they left with five. They took their matchup on the road with ease, bagging a 73-31 win over Maclay. The matchup was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 42-17.
Florida State University High School got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Trey Card out in front who scored 18 points along with seven rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Card has scored all season. Dakota Morris was another key contributor, dropping a double-double on 14 points and ten rebounds.
Marianna is on a roll lately: they've won 16 of their last 17 matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 24-2 record this season. As for Florida State University High School, their win bumped their record up to 17-9.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Marianna have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 23.7 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Florida State University High School struggles in that department as they've been averaging 30 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Marianna beat Florida State University High School 81-71 when the teams last played back in December of 2023. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Morris, who scored 19 points along with six rebounds. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Marianna still be able to contain Morris? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
