Basketball Game Preview: Harlem Huskies vs. Jefferson J-Hawks

The Harlem Huskies will take on the Jefferson J-Hawks at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Harlem's favor is that they have posted at least 55 points in their last seven matches.

Last Friday, Harlem ended up a good deal behind Rockford East and lost 81-66. Despite running the score up even higher than they did in their prior game last Wednesday (56), the Huskies still had to take the loss.

Mateo Perera

Field Goal Percentage

02/07/25 @ Rockford East	60%
02/05/25 vs Hononegah	67%
02/03/25 vs Stillman Valley	50%
02/01/25 vs Plainfield North	45%

The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Mateo Perera, who went 6-for-10 on his way to 17 points. He is also on a roll when it comes to field goal percentage, as he's posted one of at least 45% in the last four games he's played. Jackson Cook was another key player, dropping a double-double with ten points and 11 rebounds.

Even though they lost, Harlem was working as a unit and finished the game with 18 assists. That's the most assists they've posted since back in January of 2024.

Meanwhile, even if it wasn't a dominant performance, Jefferson beat Rockford East 68-64 on Thursday. The win was all the more spectacular given the J-Hawks' disadvantage in MaxPreps' Illinois basketball rankings (they are ranked 351st, while the E-Rabs are ranked 153rd).

Harlem has been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five games, which has put a noticeable dent in their 10-17 record this season. That patch can't be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 61.0 points over those games. As for Jefferson, their victory ended a five-game drought on the road and puts them at 12-17.

Harlem came up short against Jefferson when the teams last played back in January, falling 60-54. Will Harlem have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.