Rebound Victory Corrects Course In A Big Way For Steel City Yellow Jackets

 

by Thomas Leturgey with Arianna Rosemond

The Steel City Yellow Jackets got right back on the winning track after last week's loss in Baltimore. Friday Night at Woodland Hills High School, Ace Pippen's team came out strong against the Buchannon Bears and left with a 164-114 victory.

Earlier in the season when the Yellow Jackets were running up scores, they would put 40 or more up in a quarter. They were nearly to that standard in Churchill, with 39,34, 56 and 35 in the four quarters of play. 

The Bears took a quick 2-0 lead in the first seconds of the game before Co-Captain Gilmore Cummings hit a three-point-shot to make it 3-2. The Bears would never reclaim the lead. Over the next few minutes, Co-Captain Tone Reddic, Sr., Tim Jackson and birthday boy Jason Arrington all got into the scorebook. Jackson would score a trio of three-point shots in the first 12 minutes. At the end of the first quarter, the Yellow Jackets were leading by a healthy 39-16 score.

When the second quarter began, some of the starters sat and newcomer Cam Wiley quickly made an impact with scoring and inspired defense. Wiley's first score of the evening extended the home team's lead to 44-21. Wiley, Reddic, Brandon Johnson and Etholion Vennie all contributed. At the half, the Yellow Jackets were up 73-46.

In the third quarter, the offense really kicked in for Pippens' and Asst. Coach Clyde Mann's crew. Franklin, Reddic, Gimore, Claude Scott, Jr. and Vennie all put points on the board. In the third quarter, 10 Yellow Jackets players scored points. Only the injured James Jackson and Steve Vorum (who came up with an undisclosed injury in warm-ups), didn't see action and score in the third. The third quarter was one of the most productive quarters of the entire season.

Tim Jackson posted three of his 8 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. The final 12 minutes weren't played with as much intensity as the previous three, and the Bears outscored the Yellow Jackets 38-35. The starting five even returned in the final minutes of the game, just to keep things competitive.

Tone Reddic, Sr. had 38 points to lead the game. Tim Jackson had 33 and Gilmore Cummings added 20. Cam Wiley scored 16 points and impressed those in attendance. Nine of the ten Yellow Jackets who played scored in double figures. Leandre Evans, with a three-pointer in the 3rd, was the only didn't add at least 10.

The Buchannon Bears played hard the entire contest. They were lead by 6'9" center Cordell Nicola's 37 points. Rico Sheffield added 19, as did Edward Tyson. 

Yellow Jacket's center Justin Hamilton left the club before last week's game in Baltimore and it's uncertain if he will return, due to work commitments. Forwards Claude Scott, Jr. and Tone Reddic, Sr. have been filling that void in the paint.