Basketball Game Preview: Linden-McKinley Panthers vs. Mifflin Punchers

After both having extra time off, the Linden-McKinley Panthers and the Mifflin Punchers will dust off their jerseys to challenge one another at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Linden-McKinley is looking for their season's first victory.

Two weeks ago, Linden-McKinley ended up a good deal behind Bluffton and lost 62-45. While losing is never fun, the Panthers can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked 748th, while the Pirates are ranked 169th).

Meanwhile, Mifflin posted their biggest win since February 9, 2024 two weeks ago. They were the clear victor by a 64-41 margin over Columbus International. With the Punchers ahead 39-18 at the half, the matchup was all but over already.

Mifflin's win came from a few key players Linden-McKinley will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Kesahn Bouttry, who posted ten points and six rebounds. Another player making a difference was Adimalik Omar, who put up 11 points and five rebounds.

Mifflin smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 24 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in 18 consecutive contests dating back to last season.

Mifflin's victory bumped their record up to 4-5. As for Linden-McKinley, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-6.

Linden-McKinley didn't have too much breathing room in their game against Mifflin in their previous meeting back in January of 2024, but they still walked away with a 60-56 win. Does Linden-McKinley have another victory up their sleeve, or will Mifflin turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.