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Maryland Whipsnakes faceoff specialist Joe Nardella

How Joe Nardella can repeat success vs. Mike Sisselberger in Cash App Championship

By Adam Lamberti | Sep 11, 2024

If the Cash App Championship game is a heavyweight battle, then Joe Nardella against Mike Sisselberger at the faceoff stripe is the main event.

Two of the top faceoff specialists in the league, this matchup will truly set the tone from the first whistle.

Both standing around 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds, Nardella and Sisselberger bring both brute strength and fast hands to the stripe.

Nardella got the better of this matchup in the regular season, winning 62.1% of the draws in Maryland’s loss to Utah in Boston while Sisselberger was at 39.3%, his lowest faceoff percentage all season.

That being said, Sisselberger won some big faceoffs when it mattered. He won four consecutive draws in the third quarter in that July matchup, allowing the Archers to tack on three goals during that stretch to extend their lead when the Whipsnakes were trying to rally back.

“He had a stretch in the third quarter that I wish I could have back where he won three or four in a row and we were starting to inch the game closer, so credit to him for making some good adjustments,” Nardella said in the postgame press conference.

Because of Sisselberger’s hand speed, Nardella said reacting to the whistle and having quick hands was a point of emphasis in their first meeting, and it will certainly remain one in Sunday’s championship game.

I also think one of the keys for Nardella is winning the ball to his wings early.

When Nardella doesn’t win immediately, Sisselberger is extremely tough when they’re tied up due to his strength, making it a 50-50 ball. Also, winning the ball to the wings is essential for the Whipsnakes to jump-start their 32-second shot clock offense.

Whipsnakes head coach Jim Stagnitta added offensive-minded threats like Jack Koras, Colin Heacock, Adam Poitras and newly acquired Ryan Conrad to the wings this season to speed up the process of getting into the 32-second shot clock.

“I used to struggle with the 32-second clock,” Stagnitta said, “but now I think we have the personnel to allow us to play fast in that 32 seconds, so winning faceoffs is not a detriment, trading 32[-second shot clocks] for 52[-second shot clocks] for us.”

This adjustment, along with Nardella’s All-Star-level play in 2024, boosted the Whips’ offensive 32-second shot clock efficiency from 14.3% in the first six games of the regular season to 27.4% in the last four.

They’ve struggled in the playoffs in this area, however, scoring only one “true” goal following a Nardella faceoff win into their 32-second shot clock offense in their victories over the Denver Outlaws and New York Atlas.

So not only is possession important for the Whipsnakes, but winning it cleanly to the wings will allow them to substitute offensive personnel onto the field quickly to use as much of the 32 seconds as possible. 

Even better for the Whipsnakes is if Nardella wins it forward to generate instant offense off the draw. A highly capable ball-carrier, Nardella has provided some offensive pop later in the season, including this off-handed beauty against the Outlaws in Maryland's regular-season finale:

“It just helps the offense so much,” rookie attackman TJ Malone said. “It’s a backbreaker for the other team.”

While these things are easier said than done against Sisselberger, a 2024 All-Star, Nardella has the ability to take over a title game like he did back in 2020, when he won 63.2% and tallied an assist in the Whipsnakes’ championship win over the Chaos.

Whatever team you root for, or even if you don’t have a dog in the fight, the dogfight at the faceoff stripe between Nardella and Sisselberger is a must-watch on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.

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