The Steel City Yellow Jackets moved up in this weeks power rankings despite not having played a game last weekend. Large amounts of snow fall in the upper Midwest forced both of the Yellow Jackets contests to be cancelled leaving them with a record of 4-3 on the season.
The Steel City Yellow Jackets were forced to remain stagnant last weekend after large amounts of snow fall pounded the upper Midwest causing three feet of snow and making travel conditions treacherous. However, despite not playing a game, the Yellow Jackets did get some benefit out of last weekend as they raised from the number 25 spot in the American Basketball Association power rankings to the number 23 spot this week with their record sitting at 4-3.The Yellow Jackets were supposed to play two games last weekend against the Kalamazoo Cobras and the West Michigan Lake Hawks, but the snow made sure that was not going to happen. However, the Yellow Jackets were able to advance two spots after loses by the Orange County Novastars and the Henderson Hawks.
The Yellow Jackets are coming off of a redemption win their last time out when they defeated the Reading Wizards way back on December fourth by the score of 154-127. Bobby Swartwout had a break out game scoring 20 points and Antonio Reddic and Gil Cummings each scored in the twenties as well with 23 and 24 points respectively.
The win came after the Yellow Jackets had suffered two heart-breaking defeats against the DMV Warriors and the PG Valor. Both games were hard fought all the way up to the end, but the Yellow Jackets would end up falling in the final seconds of play. Both loses were very hard to swallow, but the Yellow Jackets bounced back and were able to pick up the big victory against the Reading Wizards.
The Yellow Jackets started the year as the number 23 team in the American Basketball Association pre-season power rankings coming into the 2016/2017 season. Having made the playoffs in each of their first two years of existence, their were high expectations set both by the league and by the team itself. Coach Ace has said time and time again that the goal for this season is to win a championship, nothing more and nothing less. The Yellow Jackets have come close in each of the last two seasons, but this year they will look to put it all together.
This team has the talent to do just that lead by a strong core of veterans and a ton of promising up and coming rookies. The top three scorers on this year's team are all returners in Antonio Reddic, 126 points, Lawrence Baker, 124 points, and Gilmore Cummings, 111 points. This core group of players has been helped out by newcomers Marcus Smith, Juan Franklin, Johnathan Logan, and Isaiah Prince to help build a successful team.
This team will have another tough test ahead of them this weekend as they take on another top 25 team when they face off against the number 21 team in the country in the Fredericksburg Grizzlies this Saturday. Last time out, the Grizzlies picked up a 128-104 victory over the RDC Vulcans back on December 11th. The win improved their record to 4-2 on the season and bumped them up from the number 23 spot a week ago to the number 21 spot this week.
Saturday marks the final home game of the first half of the season for the Steel City Yellow Jackets and they will be celebrating with Health and Awareness night. The game against the Grizzlies tips off at 7:30 p.m. at the Neighborhood Academy located at 709 N. Aiken Ave. in Pittsburgh's East Liberty community. Tickets are 10 dollars for adults and five dollars for students and can be bought at the door. This is a fun team to watch so you better come on out and Catch the Buzz.
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