Yellow Jackets Look To Rebound Saturday Against The Columbus Wizards


by Thomas Leturgey

The Steel City Yellow Jackets are looking forward to having Libby's Chicken after this Saturday night's game at A Giving Heart Community Center. Ace Pippen's team traveled to Buffalo last weekend and were struck with their first loss of the season against the Extreme, 95-81.

Guard Kenny Holmes led the Yellow Jackets with 24 points, while fellow guard Job Brown posted 19. Terrance Holloway added 17, Jay Washington had 10, Justin Hamilton 7 and Clifton McNair contributed with four.

Team officials say that the college-style red, white and blue basketball the Extreme provided for the game felt off, and the shooting for both teams might have suffered. After the first quarter, both teams only had 14 points. Even Holmes wasn't immune to errant air balls. The visiting Yellow Jackets did gain a lead in the game, but in the final quarter, the Extreme gained the lead and continued to extend until the final buzzer.

"We shot the ball horribly," Pippens wrote in an email. "We didn't play our defense; we didn't take care of the ball, and we didn't rebound the ball." 

Last week, Columbus came from a 17-point deficit to defeat the Hoosier State Instigators, 126-112. Jay "5" Farrow led with 38 points there and Brandon Wilkins scored 32. Both of those Instigators are also fierce rebounders, with 9 and 11 respectively. 

Columbus' fans did a fair job of traveling to the game in Indiana, so it's possible that fans may take the easy drive to Pittsburgh this weekend.

Now 1-1, the Yellow Jackets have fallen out of the Top 25. 

Guard Brandon Johnson returned to the Yellow Jackets last week but is nursing an injury. Pippens is hoping that Holmes, Brown and company return to their high-scoring ways this weekend. The team also continues to work on improving their defense. It should be noted that while the Yellow Jackets failed to score into the triple digits, their defense sets also prohibited Buffalo from doing the same.

The Steel City Yellow Jackets take on the Columbus Wizards at 7:05 p.m. this Saturday Night at A Giving Heart Community Center, 816 Climax Street in the Allentown neighborhood within the city of Pittsburgh. Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for children. Go to www.steelcitybb.com for more information. 





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