It is not often that Massillon has taken down the McKinley Bulldogs in back-to-back seasons. The Tigers, who are now 18-1 on the season, are in the midst of a 15-game win streak (after their win versus Lake on Saturday). McKinley came into the contest with a 17-3 record and looked to cement their claims of being Stark County’s best squad with their 2,001st victory. Massillon denied them that privilege in a game that came down to the final seconds. The Tigers, with their only loss coming to the Hoover Vikings on a buzzer-beating shot, can now say that they are the top team in the county, and indeed one of the best in the state.
1st Half
The game was a much-anticipated matchup, with both teams starting to think of a potential state title run. The Washington High School gym was over capacity, as one of the biggest crowds since the Tigers played at The Pit at the old high school filled the arena with roars.
The Bulldogs came out firing to start the game, taking an 8-2 lead less than 3 minutes into the contest. After draining their 3rd 3-pointer from the left corner, the Bulldogs increased their lead to 13-4 and the Tigers called time. Massillon slowly cut into the lead with layups and free throws, and the trailed 14-20 after the 1st quarter. More free throws, this time from Massillon’s Xavier Williams and Gio Jackson Jr., cut the deficit to 5. Braylon Gamble stole the ball and slammed it home to make the score 19-22. McKinley continued to answer, getting shots to fall as the Tigers scrambled to answer. An Isaiah Lamp steal and pass ahead to Gamble cut the lead back down to 5, but the Bulldogs bumped it back up again and led 38-29 at the half.
2nd Half
McKinley opened up the second half quickly with a bucket. Massillon missed a shot on their end but forced a turnover, and Xavier Williams drilled a 3 to cut the lead to 8. McKinley answered immediately with an And-1, and after a few minutes would have their largest lead at 51-37. Massillon’s offense stepped up and went on a run of their own. A Braylon Gamble shot went around and in, and Williams drilled a pair of 3s and hit a jumper to cut the lead down to 47-53. The Tigers were stepping up on defense as well– turnovers and missed shots on the McKinley end led to the Massillon run. The package sub of Terrion Wells and Marcus Garner aided the Tigers greatly as the pair picked up multiple rebounds on a Bulldog squad that was excellent off the boards. Braylon Gamble hit a 3-pointer after yet another McKinley turnover, and a Gio Jackson Jr. 3-point play cut the McKinley lead to 53-55. At the end of 3 quarters, the score was 54-57 in favor of the Bulldogs. The first few minutes of the 4th quarter were back-and-forth between the two talented squads. Jadyce Thigpen tied the game up at 59 after a spin move that left defenders dizzy. Williams drilled a 3 to give Massillon their first lead in a long while, but the Bulldogs answered once again with a run to take the lead. The last several minutes of the game were the most intense that Massillon basketball fans have witnessed in years. Massillon repeatedly tied the game, and McKinley answered without fail, at least until the final seconds. The Tigers cut the lead to 1 with 1:56 remaining and had the chance to take the lead, but a missed shot led to a McKinley layup, and the score was 75-72 in favor of the Bulldogs. The Tigers took the ball up court with a decision to make. Thigpen decided to go for it all and drilled the game-tying 3 from the left point with 35 seconds remaining. McKinley attempted to hurry down the floor, but Isaiah Lamp read a pass perfectly and intercepted it, taking the ball down to the paint where he was fouled with 18 seconds remaining. Lamp coolly knocked down both free throws, giving Massillon a 77-75 lead. McKinley was overwhelmed by the Tiger defense on the other and were forced to call timeouts. They had one more chance with 6.8 seconds remaining. Thigpen knocked the ball loose, but the Bulldogs still had seconds to recover and shoot. Jackson and Gamble both went high to alter a potential game-winning 3, and Wells defended a putback and grabbed the rebound to put the game in the books. The Tiger crowd went ballistic as Massillon knocked off the Bulldogs in what will be long remembered as one of the most intense and anticipated games in the rivalry’s history.
