Yellow Jackets Fall On The Road To Baltimore Hawks

 

by Thomas Leturgey with Arianna Rosemond

The Steel City Yellow Jackets traveled away from A Giving Place Community Center for the first time in 2022, and lost their first game of the year to the Baltimore Hawks, 141-120.

The Yellow Jackets leave Maryland with a 13-1 record.

James Jackson returned to the Yellow Jackets lineup after missing three games due to injury. He had rolled his ankle when he got tangled up with Justin Hamilton during practice several weeks ago. Tim Jackson also started for Ace Pippen's visiting club.

Center Justin Hamilton didn't make the trip and his presence under the basket was missed. 

The Hawks lead early. The Yellow Jackets' Brandon Franklin scored the team's first nine points from the start. 

Baltimore lead 36-26 after the first quarter, led by Aquille Carr's offense. He lead the Hawks with 34 at the end of the game. 

The Yellow Jackets started to tighten the game in the second quarter but the Hawks still outscored the visitors, 31-26. At the half, the Hawks lead 67-52.

For the third quarter in a row, the Yellow Jackets scored exactly 26 points. The Hawks had their strongest performance of the game, scoring 41 points. Usually, a 108-78 lead is insurmountable at the end of three quarters; however, the Yellow Jackets oftentimes come on strong in the final 12 minutes.

Co-Captain Tone Reddic, Sr. hit five 3's in the final quarter and Claude Scott, Jr. added 10 points. The Yellow Jackets outscored the Hawks, 42-33 in the last dozen minutes, but it wasn't enough to remain the undefeated, #2 team in the country. 

Reddic lead all scoring with 39 points. Brandon Franklin added another 29 and Claude Scott, Jr. 23.

Aquille Carr led the Hawks and Daron Barnes added another 25. Five others from the Baltimore club scored in double digits (a total of a dozen players scored) on their way to victory. 

The updated ABA power rankings will be announced early next week.