Yellow Jackets Capture North East Regional Championship, Advance To Elite 8 Later This Month In Baltimore

Coach Ace Pippens (center with trophy) celebrates with the Steel City Yellow Jackets and family. Photos by Thomas Leturgey

by Thomas Leturgey with Arianna Rosemond

Nearly from buzzer to buzzer, the Steel City Yellow Jackets had an advantage over the Wyoming Valley Clutch in the ABA's North East Regional Finals in Pittsburgh.

The home team won a very hard fought, yet definite win 146-123.

The Clutch opened up scoring quick, but Claude Scott, Jr. tied things up right away. Brandon Franklin nailed a triple and the Yellow Jackets were off to the races. 

Not being able to hit field goals in the first few minutes, and the Yellow Jackets' superior rebounding allowed for ABA All-Star Tone Reddic, Sr. and crew to open things up. Franklin hit another three-pointer, extending the early lead to 10-2. Scott, Reddic and Franklin continued the pour on offense. 

Wyoming Valley missed three consecutive 3-point attempts around six minutes left in the quarter. Had the team hit more of those in the first 12 minutes, the game would have been a lot closer. Kenny Holmes came off of the bench and hit a three-pointer, extending the lead to 21-11 with about five minutes left.

Tim Jackson hit a 3D three pointer, which added four to the score, and a 25-11 lead. Moments later, Tim Jackson hit a three pointer, and emotions ran a little hot between both teams. Tim Jackson added two unanswered buckets to make it 33-16. 

James Jackson suffered an ankle injury when he landed badly after a three-point attempt. He was assisted off the court and didn't return to the game. After the game, his ankle was heavily taped and he was walking gingerly.

Reddic finished the scoring in the first half, and the Yellow Jackets had a 40-22 lead.

Holmes came on strong in the second quarter, but so did the visiting Clutch. Wyoming Valley's 7' foot tall ABA All-Star Pete Alexis came on very strong. The Clutch closed the gap to 44-37 with less than 9 minutes to go in the second. Reddic answered Alexis' onslaught with a three-pointer, which once again extended the lead to double-digits.

Franklin and Scott added buckets until Tim Jackson hit a three-pointer to go 58-44. Scoring went back and fourth until Alexis made it 62-50 with just about 2:40 to go in the quarter.

Co-Captain Gilmore Cummings with the North East Regional Championship T-Shirt.

Holmes, Gilmore Cummings and Tim Jackson added scores to extend the lead to 72-54 at the half. Both teams scored 32 points in the second quarter, and the Clutch were starting to make their push.

Brandon Burnett opened the scoring for Ace Pippen's club in the second half. Brandon Franklin contributed nicely as well in the opening minutes. The Clutch's Alexis was the saving grace for Jerry Rickrode's Wyoming Valley club. Claude Scott, Jr. hit a jumper and Cummings hit a bucket, was fouled and added a free throw to extend the lead to 84-60.

Alexis did his best to keep the Clutch to within 20 points of the lead. It was the most dominating performance by a big man the Yellow Jackets faced all season. 

At about the 6:05 point in the third, there was a game stoppage after Claude Scott, Jr. got an elbow in the face, which drew blood. The Yellow Jackets answered with a scoring outburst that made it 97-70. Brandon Johnson scored to make it 100-74.

Jason Arrington, Tim Jackson and Holmes lead the team to the end of the quarter, where the Yellow Jackets led 106-85. The Yellow Jackets scored 34 points in the 3rd to the Clutch's 31.

The fourth quarter opened with a healthy, but not insurmountable lead. Claude Scott Jr. hit a triple, as did Tim Jackson and it was soon 112-87 for the home squad. Tim Jackson and Reddic scored to make it 122-94 with about 8:30 remaining. 

Jason Arrington scored a few for the Yellow Jackets, but a thunderous Tone Reddic slam energized an already-enthusiastic crowd, 129-107.

Arrington, Tim Jackson, Reddic, and Holmes contributed down the stretch.

In the final moments, Steven Vorum, Etholion Vennie, and LeAndre Evans, who have all contributed significantly in limited time, entered for the final few moments. Vorum's private cheering section (which makes up about all of the crowd that sits behind the team bench) exploded when he hit a three-pointer within the final minute of regulation. In fact, Vorum's was the final bucket for the Yellow Jackets in the game. The Clutch added the final five points to make it 146-123 at the game's end.

In the final 12 minutes the Yellow Jackets outscored their opposition 42-20.

The Final Score at A Giving Heart Community Center.

Tim Jackson lead the Yellow Jackets with 32 points and Kenny Holmes had 27. Claude Scott, Jr. had 20 and Tone Reddic 19. Brandon Franklin poured in 17 and Jason Arrington, 14. Gilmore Cummings had 10, Steven Vorum posted 3, while Brandon Burnett and Brandon Johnson both added 2.

Pete Alexis had 44 points for the Wyoming Valley Clutch, while Hasiin Dixon put in 26. Jaquin Ingraham had 13 and Dave Jannuzzi 12. 

The Yellow Jackets now prepare for the Elite 8 in Baltimore, beginning April 21.