Yellow Jackets Defeat Columbus 136-103, Advance To Division Championship Next Weekend

The Steel City Yellow Jackets gather at midcourt following their win against Columbus. Photo by Raymond Durkin. By Thomas Leturgey The Steel City Yellow Jackets are returning to the American Basketball Association (ABA) Divisional playoffs in Chicago. Ace Pippens’ club got by a competitive Columbus Wizards team Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh, 136-103. That was the Central Division, Blue Region championship game and the first playoff win for Pittsburgh’s franchise since 2023. Even before the contest, guard Job Brown was talking to his teammates about the importance of focusing on the task at hand. The team had played a scrimmage, warm up on Thursday night and the players felt that they had worked out some cinques in their collective game. “Defense wins championships,” said Pippens in the pre-game meeting. And it was defense that ultimately won the day for the Yellow Jackets. Phil Bledsoe, Sr.’s team is physically larger than the Yellow Jackets and they brought more players to ...