Yellow Jackets Feel The Buzz As They Prepare For Final 8 In Baltimore

by Thomas Leturgey with Arianna Rosemond

It has been a long time coming for some members of the Steel City Yellow Jackets. Co-Captain Antonio Reddic, Sr. feels that there is an--excuse the pun--a "buzz" in the air for the American Basketball Association (ABA) team's impending trip to Baltimore and the Final 8 tournament to determine this year's champion.

"This is very exciting," he said recently from his home in Aliquippa. "This is the most excited I've been. I think we have a good chance."

The 15-2 Yellow Jackets were undefeated for a good portion of the season, and come into the tournament the #2 seeded team, representing the Northeast region. Team Trouble from the Pacific Northwest, are the #1 ranked team.

 
Coach Ace Pippen's Yellow Jackets are set to tip off against the 15-7 Las Vegas Royals from the Pacific Coast division at 12:30 p.m. on April 21. The winner of the first game will take on the winner of the 11-3, #5 Music City Jazz (Midwest region) and the 10-1, #4 Austin Bats (South Central) contest later in the afternoon.

From left: Gilmore Cummings, Head Coach Ace Pippens and Antonio Reddic, Sr. in 2019. Picture of Steel City Yellow Jackets Facebook page.

By most if not all accounts, the 15-1 Jacksonville Giants is the team to beat. They are the 7-time and 5-time reigning ABA Champions. They are one of the highest-scoring teams in the league and the #3 ranked team in the tournament. They will take on the 16-2, #6 ranked and host Baltimore Hawks Friday afternoon. Team Trouble and Cleveland's #8 ranked Burning City Buckets from the North Central region also play Thursday.

Fellow Co-Captain Gilmore Cummings says that the team's intensity has shown in practice and he is eager "to get that ring for my legacy and bring a ring back to my city. I'm very focused and excited."
"We'd been on the cusp for 4 or 5 straight years," added Reddic. "We have the experience. We can stay together. I'm ready."

Reddic, who was named to the ABA All-Star team, hopes to get back out to the wings as a true forward, but he has done great work under the rim in recent weeks without a true center. The team is hopeful that center Justin Hamilton may be able to return to the team for the tournament. Brandon Burnett had come on late in the season and had been playing the center position, but Reddic and fellow forward Claude Scott, Jr. had also been forced to take up slack in the paint.

Cummings is hopeful that he will be able to set up for three-pointers early and often. And guard Kenny Holmes has proven to be a valuable asset off the bench. Tim Jackson has also surged in recent weeks. All-Star Honorable Mention Brandon Franklin, as well as James Jackson are nursing ankle injuries. Franklin is expected to play, but Jackson's status is unknown.

The Final 8 bracket to be held in Baltimore this week.

If the Yellow Jackets are to get by the Royals Thursday, and the winner of the Austin/Music City showdown, they could possibly face off against the Burning River Buckets, the team they bested 118-94 on January 29 in Pittsburgh. Then, only five players made the trip, reportedly due to illness and injury.

In addition, the Yellow Jackets have not defeated the host team Hawks in Baltimore. Most recently, the Hawks ended the Yellow Jackets' undefeated streak, 141-120 on February 6 in Charm City.

Both Reddic and Cummings look forward to cementing their legacies in the ABA by leading the team in the Final 8 tournament.

The semi-final round games take place on Friday, with the Championship Contest slated for Saturday afternoon.