#3 Steel City Yellow Jackets Buzz Past Ohio Bruins In Final Minutes, 126-121

by Thomas Leturgey with Arianna Rosemond

By the time Tone Reddic, Sr. scored Saturday night, the Ohio Bruins had already run up an 11-2 lead in the game between top 10 ABA contenders.

In fact, this was the first home game of the season in which the Steel City Yellow Jackets were caught on their heels. The #3 team in the ABA standings found themselves running to catch up to the inspired Bruins.

At one point in the first quarter, the Bruins had a 31-10 lead on the Yellow Jackets, who seemed legitimately taken aback by the offense. It was the first time at home all season in which the Yellow Jackets were reeling. At the end of the first quarter, Pittsburgh's unbeaten team was behind 20-39.

The Yellow Jackets appeared to sense a switch in momentum, but a substitution disagreement brought the game to a grinding half with 7:30 remaining in the first half, and Ohio up 48-36. A Bruins player entered the game without proper play stoppage, and the discussion over the infraction took away Yellow Jacket propulsion. 

Throughout much of the first half, whenever the Yellow Jackets would gain momentary momentum, the Bruins would match baskets. At halftime, the Bruins were cruising with a 73-52 lead. 

Ace Pippen's team never lost its composure. 

As soon as the second half of the game started, the Yellow Jackets started chipping away. Claude Scott Jr. had an important second, half, as did Gilbert Cummings, on the strength of seven 3-pointers. One of Cummings' three-pointers came at 7:30 remaining in the third quarter, making it 76-65. Scott added two more to make it 67-76. It was at this point, Ohio pressed forward, but the Yellow Jackets held solid.

Jason Arrington hit a three-pointer to make the score 82-77 and the Yellow Jackets defense was holding. Tone Reddic, Sr. scored to make the 83-88, and Ohio jumped ahead. At the end of the third quarter, the Bruins had extended what was becoming a shaky lead, 95-85.

The Yellow Jackets had outscored the opposition 33-22 in the third quarter. The fourth quarter was going to be a challenge, and the Yellow Jackets responded.

Gilmore turned on the pressure, as did Brandon Franklin in the final 12 minutes. Two Gilmore Cummings three-pointers reduced the Bruins' lead to five points with less than eight minutes remaining.

At 4:49 remaining, the Yellow Jackets had pulled to 108-109. A Brandon Franklin bucket pushed the Yellow Jackets into the lead for the very first time in the game. It was a lead the Yellow Jackets would not relinquish. With 3:38 remaining, Franklin scored to make it 115-111. With 2:30 left, the Bruins would land a three-pointer to make it 117-114. They would trade baskets and with just over 2:00 left, the Yellow Jackets held onto a 122-119 lead. The Bruins would miss some key shots toward the end of the game and the Yellow Jackets rebounded better in the final ticks.

Franklin would land two free throws and the Yellow Jackets were able to hold onto the ball when the time clock ran to zero. Final score, Yellow Jackets 126, Ohio Bruins 121.

After falling behind 39-20, in the first quarter, the Yellow Jackets came alive and outscored the Bruins 41-26 in the final 12 quarter.

Brandon Franklin, who was 8-8 from the foul stripe, lead the Yellow Jackets with 27 points. Gilmore Cummings, who landed 7 three pointers, one foul shout, and zero two-pointers, was second with 22 points. Tone Reddic Sr. added 18 and Jason Arrington, Sr. posted 16 points. 

Jay Farrow lead all with 35 points in the game. Gary Hoover had another 21 for the #7 ranked Bruins.