The Marianna Bulldogs came tearing into Tuesday's match with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 16.3 points) and they left with even more momentum. They enjoyed a cozy 55-40 victory over Maclay. Given Marianna's advantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 61st, while Maclay is ranked 468th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Marianna got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Ja'cobi Hall out in front who scored 12 points along with nine rebounds and five steals. That's the first time this season that Hall grabbed two or more steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Nikyan Harvey, who scored 13 points along with five rebounds.
When it comes to explaining why Maclay lost, one person who can't be blamed is Avery Coffin. Despite the final result, he scored 11 points. Nash Beshears was another key contributor, scoring eight points.
Marianna pushed their record up to 16-2 with that win, which was their 16th straight at home. They've been dominating during the matches in that stretch too, as they've won by an average of 21.88 points. As for Maclay, they are on a four-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 4-14.
Marianna will be playing in front of their home fans against Crossroad Academy at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Averaging 58.7 so far this season, Crossroad Academy's high-powered offense has been in full-swing lately, so Marianna better be ready for a challenge. As for Maclay, they will face off against Sci-Tech on Friday.
