Yellow Jackets Drop First Game Of Season To Baltimore, 147-130

The Steel City Yellow Jackets drop their first game of the season. Photo by Arianna Rosemond.

by Thomas Leturgey

The Steel City Yellow Jackets are well aware that they have a tough time in Baltimore. Former Hawks Owner Greg Brown had said that the Hawks had never won in Pittsburgh and the Yellow Jackets were never victorious in the Hawks’ home nest. The Hawks were also one of only two teams to defeat Steel City's entry into the American Basketball Association last season.

Even thought the Hawks dropped their first game of the season last weekend, that wouldn’t change Saturday Night in Charm City.

The Hawks, coached by Terry Bryant, were ready for Ace Pippens’ team. DiShawn Bradshaw led Baltimore early as the team scored 33 points in the first quarter to the Yellow Jackets’ 28. Bradshaw posted eight in the first 12 minutes, on his way to a team-leading 36.

Kenny Holmes came off the bench to score six in the first quarter, and a game-leading 41.

The game would get tighter in the second quarter as Holmes led the visitors with 17 points of the 33 in the quarter. Bradshaw posted 10 of the Hawks’ 29 in the second. 

At the half, the Hawks boasted the thinnest of leads, 62-61. 

Wayne Sparrow, who scored 11 points in the first half, came alive for the Hawks in the third quarter, when he nailed 3 three-pointers for 10 in the quarter. The Hawks would extend their lead by eight, 38-30. James Jackson added 12 of the Yellow Jackets 30 points in the quarter.

Tim Jackson and Kenny Holmes added most of the Yellow Jackets offense in the third quarter. Center Artis Cleveland found himself in foul trouble throughout the game. 

Co-captain Tone Reddic, Sr., who excelled last week, had a tough time against the Hawks’ defense and only added 16 points. Co-captain Gilmore Cummings, who also had a good game in the 213-65 win last Saturday, was held scoreless with limited action in the first half and fourth quarter.

Bradshaw and Sparrow led the Hawks to 47 points in the fourth quarter, while the Yellow Jackets rebounded to score 39, but it wasn’t enough. James Jackson, Reddic and Holmes were the most active scorers for the Yellow Jackets.

Toward the end of the game, the Yellow Jackets had a difficult time landing jumpers and three-point shots and the Hawks were more successful. The final score was 147-130 in Baltimore.

Bradshaw had 36 and Sparrow had 33 for the 6-1 victors. Holmes continues his hot streak with 41 off the pine, and James Jackson added 32. Tim Jackson had 18, with Antonio Reddic, Sr. adding 16. Claude Scott, Jr. had 10, Artis Cleveland 8, Amaru Caldwell with a single three-pointer in the first quarter, and Dominick McClung 2. 

The Steel City Yellow Jackets fall to 6-1 and out of the American Basketball Association’s top spot in the power rankings. The team has to put this loss behind them as they travel to Beaver County Sunday night at 7 p.m. to take on the Beaver County Indians. The Yellow Jackets defeated Wayne Cureton’s club 150-107 in the season opener, November 5, in Pittsburgh. However, the Indians, led by Marcus McMillien had come on strong early and put up more of a fight than the score would indicate. More recently, Indians won by forfeit Saturday night when the Nepe Stars and Stripes failed to report to New Castle. 

[Arianna Rosemond contributed to this report.]