Yellow Jackets Complete Weekend Sweep, Defeat Thundersnow

The Steel City Yellow Jackets went on the road yesterday and came out victorious defeating the WNY Thundersnow by the final score of 135-107. The win gave the Yellow Jackets a sweep of this weekend's games and improved their record to 9-7 on the year going into two home games this weekend.

The Steel City Yellow Jackets picked up a big win on Saturday night when they rolled over the Imperial National Crusaders 153-116 and were looking to build on that momentum in yesterday's game. In order to complete the weekend sweep, they would have to go on the road and face the WNY Thundersnow in Niagara Falls, New York. The road has not been a good place for the Yellow Jackets this season as coming into Sunday's contest they only had a record of 2-4 on the road.

However, they were able to put it all together on the court yesterday and come up with a big 135-107 victory over the Thundersnow giving them the sweep of their weekend contests. The number 25 team in the country improved to 9-7 on the season and they are coming into a weekend where they have two games at home, a place where they have played very well this season with a record of 6-3.

Just as they did on Saturday night, the Yellow Jackets would take control of this game early on and it would be helped by Antonio Reddic's 10 point attack in the first quarter. The Yellow Jackets were hitting the three point shots early as well collecting five in the first quarter, including two from Johnathan Logan, and it helped them score over 30 points for the fifth straight quarter as they took a 31-25 lead after one.

The classic spread it out offensive attack surfaced for the Yellow Jackets in the second quarter as seven Yellow Jackets got on the board including six guys from the bench. It would be Jason Arrington leading the Yellow Jackets in the second quarter with his seven point attack and pacing the Yellow Jackets for a 36 point second quarter. The Yellow Jacket's defense would flex it's muscles in the second quarter as well holding the opposition to under 18 points and no one on the Thundersnow would be able to score more than four points in the quarter.

The defensive effort allowed the Yellow Jackets to go in the locker room with a commanding 24 point lead as it was Yellow Jackets 67, Thundersnow 43. Antonio Reddic would continue his offensive hot streak leading the Yellow Jackets at the break with his 17 points on the day. He would be followed by Jason Arrington and Khari Bess who each had nine points on the night. For the Thundersnow, it would be Jermaine Sharpe leading the way with 16 points. He would be followed by Anthony Greene and Johnny Marsh who each had six points on the night.

The second half featured continued domination by the Yellow Jackets as they continued to show why they were ranked the number 25 team in the country coming into this one as they scored 31 points in the third quarter to make it seven straight quarters where they scored over 30 points. The three point shots were working for Isaiah Prince as he drained three in the quarter on his way to 11 points. Bobby Swartwout and Luke Kochka were also able to add three point shots in the quarter and the Yellow Jackets would lead 98-67 heading into the final quarter of play.

The fourth quarter would be the highest scoring on the night for the Yellow Jackets as they would put up 37 points and once again the Yellow Jackets would get big contributions from the bench. Juan Franklin put up 21 points in the fourth quarter to all but secure the Yellow Jacket's victory. Coach Ace Pippens had a goal set of holding the opposition under 100 points and the Yellow Jackets came within seven points of doing just that, but the Thundersnow would put up a game high 40 in the quarter. The Yellow Jackets were happy, however, as they walked away with a 135-107 victory and completed the weekend sweep.

Juan Franklin would lead the Yellow Jackets in scoring on the night coming off the bench to put up a game high 26 points. He was followed by Antonio Reddic, 25 points, and Isaiah Prince, 16 points. For the Thundersnow, it would be Johnny Marsh leading the way thanks to a 22 point fourth quarter that put his total to 34 on the day. He was followed by Isaiah Jefferson, 21 points, and Jermaine Sharpe, 19 points.

The win gave the Yellow Jackets a sweep of their weekend games and improved their record to 9-7 on the season. One streak would continue for the Yellow Jackets and another would stop as they made it eight straight quarters in which the team has scored 30 or more points, but Antonio Reddic would have his nine game streak of scoring 30 or more points on the night put to an end. However, the Yellow Jackets now have momentum on their side for the late playoff push as they play two games at home this weekend, where they have played very well all season long.

Steel City Player of the Game: Juan Franklin

The Steel City Yellow Jackets had a strong showing from their bench yesterday as collectively they were able to score 75 points on the night. Juan Franklin lead that crew, and the team, with 26 points on the day and it was enough to earn him the Steel City Player of the Game. Franklin also notched two assists, three rebounds, and two steals on the day. The Alabama native has been productive as the sixth man off the bench for most of the season and he came up big today when he was needed.

Up Next:

The Steel City Yellow Jackets return home on Friday February 3rd when they take on the Buffalo Blue Hawks at the Neighborhood Academy located at 709 N Aiken Avenue in Pittsburgh's East Liberty community. Tickets are ten dollars for adults and five dollars for students. With only four home games left on the regular season schedule, come support the Yellow Jackets as they make a late season playoff push. Catch the Buzz!

Yellow Jackets Role Past Crusaders 153-116

The Steel City Yellow Jackets were back in action on Saturday night as they took on the Imperial National Crusaders at the Neighborhood Academy after dropping their game last weekend. They came back in a big way as they rolled over the Crusaders 153-116 improving to 8-7 on the year.

After taking a loss last week to the Prince George's Valor, the Steel City Yellow Jackets were sitting at 7-7 finding themselves at the .500 mark for the third time this season. They had to pick up a big win to get some momentum on their side and to help improve their record as they head out on the road once again on Sunday.

They would get that much needed win in a big way as they steam rolled the Imperial National Crusaders by the final score of 153-116. The Yellow Jackets were without two of their top three scorers in this game as both Lawrence Baker and Gil Cummings were not available, but they got many contributions from their bench and the biggest game of the year by Antonio Reddic to power them to the victory.

This would be a high scoring affair from the get go as both teams came out firing in the first quarter. Dre Anthony was the one leading the Yellow Jackets early on as he had a team high 16 points in the first quarter alone. However, his efforts would not be enough to give the Yellow Jackets an early lead as the Crusaders were lead by Larry Woody, who had 19 points in the first quarter, to give the Crusaders a 44-38 lead.

Then, it was the Yellow Jackets turn to break out as they put together what would be their best offensive quarter of the season scoring 46 points.The Defense stepped up as well as they held the opposition to just 26 points and recorded multiple takeaways. On the offensive side, eight of the eleven available players to the Yellow Jackets would score in the quarter, led by Antonio Reddic's 13 point effort, and the Yellow Jackets would go into the locker room on the winning edge of the scoreboard as it was 84-68.

Reddic would lead the way for the Yellow Jackets at half-time as he racked up 21 points on the night as he continues to lead the Yellow Jackets offensively week in and week out. He was followed by Dre Anthony, 18 points, and Juan Franklin, 10 points. For the Crusaders it would be Larry Woody leading the way after his big fourth quarter with 22 points. He would be followed by Moses Domby, 13 points, and Jaleel Dillard, 12 points.

The offense would not slow down one bit coming out of half-time as they would put up 39 points in the third quarter, and the defense only got better holding the opposition to only 22 in the quarter. Reddic would take control of this game as he surpassed the 30 point mark in the third quarter putting up 11 points and playing great defense as well.

The end of the third quarter was an exciting sequence as Reddic went up for a dunk, then it was rebounded and another shot was made by Billy Dee Williams, and finally it was rebounded again and Jason Arrington would finish the scoring at the buzzer with another shot. It would give the Yellow Jackets a total of nine points in the span of ten seconds and all but took the wind out of the Crusader's sails as the Yellow Jackets would lead 123-92.

The fourth quarter would be more of the same as the Yellow Jackets continued to roll over the Crusaders and unloaded their bench. Out of their bench, the Yellow Jackets would get four guys in double digits as Jason Arrington had 13 points, Juan Franklin had 12, Luke Kochka had 11, and BillyDee Williams had 10. The offense never stopped coming for the Yellow Jackets as they scored 30 points in the quarter on their way to a 153-116 victory.

Antonio Reddic would eclipse his season high in scoring on the season as he put up 40 points on the night. He was one of eight Yellow Jackets to score in double digits and was followed by Dre Anthony, 21 points, and Johnathan Logan, 16 points. The Crusaders were lead by Larry Woody, 33 points, Jaleel Dillard, 17 points, and Shyler Ringgold, 14 points.

The 153 points was a season high for the Yellow Jackets and the most impressive thing was they were without two of their top scorers, Lawrence Baker and Gil Cummings. Everyone on the Yellow Jackets team got in the game and the Jackets saw a season high eight players score in double digits and 10 of the 11 got on the board showing a lot of promise for the Yellow Jackets moving forward in the season.

Steel City Player of the Game: Johnathan Logan

This was a really tough decision with so many Yellow Jackets playing well in this game, but the Steel City Player of the Game award goes to Johnathan Logan. Logan tied his season high scoring 16 points on the night including four big three point shots. Logan has been in the Yellow Jackets starting five all season long and has played very well from beyond the arc. He stepped up defensively today as well and caused several turnovers to lead the Yellow Jackets to victory.

Up Next:

The Steel City Yellow Jackets are back in action Sunday night when they travel to Niagara Falls, New York to take on the WNY Thundersnow. The road has not been a kind place for the Yellow Jackets this season as they are currently 2-4 on the road and are looking to improve upon that Sunday afternoon. You can follow on Facebook at Steel City Yellow Jackets and be sure to Catch the Buzz.

Jackets Fall Two Spots After Tough Road Loss

After taking a 114-107 loss on the road to the Prince George's Valor last Saturday, the Steel City Yellow Jackets find themselves down two spots in this week's American Basketball Association Top 25 Rankings. The Yellow Jackets sit at 7-7 as they prepare for their game this weekend against the Imperial National Crusaders.

The Steel City Yellow Jackets could not catch a break last Saturday as they dropped their third road contest of the year losing to the Prince George's Valor 114-107. As a result of the loss, the team fell two spots in this week's American Basketball Association power rankings as they are in a three-way tie for the number 25 team in the country. Their record so far in the 2016/2017 season sits at 7-7 including an impressive 5-3 record at home.

The Yellow Jackets currently find themselves in a three-way tie for the number 25 team in the country as they share the spot with the Jersey Express (7-7) and the Elmira Eagles (6-6). With the Yellow Jackets sitting at 7-7 on the season, they will look to pull ahead of those two teams in this week's match-up when they are back at home, a place they have played very well this season.

For as well as they have played at home, however, they have not been able to catch a break on the road so far this season. The Yellow Jackets road losses include falling to the Richmond Elite, Prince George's Valor, Kentucky Enforcers, and Grand Rapids Danger. Three of those four teams have a spot in this week's ABA power rankings, and the fourth is on the teams to watch list. There is no doubt the Yellow Jackets have a very tough schedule this season, and on the road it has cost them dearly.

In the game last Saturday against the Prince George's Valor, the Yellow Jackets not only took a loss on the scoreboard, but suffered from some questionable calls near the end of the game. Head Coach Ace Pippens got his first two technical fouls of his career and Isaiah Prince also picked up a technical foul in the game. Prince would also suffer a serious eye injury at the end of the game and the Yellow Jackets are hopeful that he will be back this week.

One positive to look on from this match-up is once again the Yellow Jackets were able to go into the half time break on top of their opponents. In the team's 14 games this season, they have either been tied or leading going into the break in 10 of those games. This allows Coach Pippens to be able to strategize with his team ahead, giving them pointers to help them hold on to the lead.

The Yellow Jackets defense also stepped up on this day as they continued their string of seven straight games in which they held the opposition to under 120 points. Coach Ace preaches that he wants his team to hold the opponent to under 100 points and the Yellow Jackets, led defensively by Lawrence Baker and Isaiah Prince, look to get closer and closer to the goal set forth by their head coach.

On the offensive side of the ball, Antonio Reddic has been the unsung leader of this team. He leads the team in scoring so far this year and, prior to Saturday, had a string of seven straight games in which he scored 30 points or more in a game. Reddic started the year as the Yellow Jackets sixth man off the bench, but has since cracked the Yellow Jackets starting five and has produced in a big way this season.

The top of the American Basketball Association power rankings have not changed much from a week ago. The DMV Warriors still hold the top spot as they continue their impressive season sitting at (11-0). The Yellow Jackets played the Warriors close in their game back on November 26th losing by just one point. The rest of the top ten looks like this:

         1. DMV Warriors (11-0)

         2. South Florida Gold (14-2)

         3. Windy City Groove (9-0)

         4. Mobile Bay Tornadoes (8-0)

         5.Orlando Waves (12-2)

         6. Kentucky Enforcers (11-2)

         7. Salina Saints (8-0)
         8. Orange County Novastars (10-3)
         9. Austin Bats (9-1)
         10. Chicago Fury (9-2)

The Steel City Yellow Jackets are back in action today when they return home to The Neighborhood Academy when they take on the Imperial National Crusaders at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are ten dollars for adults and five dollars for students. There are only five home games left in the regular season so, if you haven't already, be sure to come on out and Catch the Buzz.

Yellow Jackets Cant Catch Break on the Road Fall to PG Valor

The Steel City Yellow Jackets went on the road last night to face off against the Prince George's Valor in American Basketball Association action. The Yellow Jackets could not catch a break, however, as they would fall by the final score of 114-107 dropping their record to 7-7 on the year.

The Steel City Yellow Jackets continued their battle through the 2016/2017 regular season as they traveled down to Prince George's County Maryland to face the Prince George's Valor. The Yellow Jackets fought hard in this game but unfortunately were unable to catch a break on the night as they dropped the game by the final score of 114-107 moving their record to 7-7 on the season.

The last time these two teams faced off, it was a highly contested ball game at the Neighborhood Academy where the Valor would come out on top by the final score of 95-93. The Valor would get off to a hot start in that game and the Yellow Jackets defense would stiffen up to allow their team back into this one. In the end, however, it would not be enough as the Yellow Jackets would drop the contest and take their third loss of the year.

This game would start in the exact opposite way as the Yellow Jackets had the momentum early on in this one and midway through the second quarter of play they would be up by the score of 35-33. Road games have not been kind to the Yellow Jackets this season as coming into this one their road record sat at just 2-2 so far on the year.

The Yellow Jackets would keep fighting offensively and held on to the lead with just under two minutes in the second quarter as they lead 58-52. The Yellow Jackets would add another bucket before time expired and would go into the locker room up 60-52 over the Valor. Building up half time leads is something that Coach Ace and the Steel City Yellow Jackets have done a tremendous job of all season long. Of the Yellow Jackets 14 games this season, they have only trailed at half time in four of those games.

The Yellow Jackets played some great defense on the day limiting the Valor to under 30 points in each of the first two quarters of play. While the Yellow Jackets offense has been great all season long, lead by Antonio Reddic and Gil Cummings, the Yellow Jackets defense cannot be forgotten here in 2016/2017. Lawrence Baker has lead the crew as the big man under the net with a team high 52 rebounds on the season. He has been helped out by great defensive play from guys like Isaiah Prince and Antonio Reddic who play very sound defense to help the Jackets stay in ball games.

The third quarter started out with a surge by the Valor as they were looking to fight back into this contest with the Yellow Jackets. The Yellow Jackets defense continued their string of holding the Valor under 30 points in a quarter, however, the offense couldn't get anything going as they were outscored 27-19 to make the score tied at 79-79 with one quarter to play.

Then, the fourth quarter got ugly for the Yellow Jackets. The Valor continued their offensive surge and would go up 90-85 with just over eight minutes to play in regulation. Offense would end up ruling the fourth quarter and, thanks to an offensive surge, the Valor ended up scoring 34 points to the Yellow Jackets 28 to secure themselves the 114-107 victory. The loss dropped the Yellow Jackets road record to 2-3 on the year and their overall record to 7-7.

Things got ugly late in this one for the Yellow Jackets as there were a couple of questionable calls that put the Yellow Jackets down late in the fourth quarter. Yellow Jackets head coach Ace Pippens collected the first two technical fouls of his career and Isaiah Prince also got tagged for a technical foul late in the fourth. To add to the loss on the scoreboard and the questionable calls throughout the night, the Yellow Jackets also may have lost one of their star players for a while as Isaiah Prince suffered a serious eye injury late in the game. 

Up Next:

The Steel City Yellow Jackets return to the friendly confines of the Neighborhood Academy on January 28th when they take on the Imperial National Crusaders at 7:30 p.m. The Yellow Jackets have played some of their best basketball on their home court as they own a record of 5-4 at home and look to improve upon that once again. Tickets for the event are ten dollars for adults and five dollars for student tickets. The Yellow Jackets need your support as the season comes to a close, so be sure to come on out and Catch the Buzz.

From Motor City to Steel City: Baker Leading the Yellow Jackets to Success

Steel City Yellow Jackets veteran Lawrence Baker did not always have it easy in his childhood. However, he turned his misfortune into a great basketball career that saw him play collegiately at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and now has him as one of the leaders of the Steel City Yellow Jackets.

Steel City Yellow Jackets Guard and veteran Lawrence Baker is one of the shining stars on the court for this year’s Steel City Yellow Jackets team. He is currently the second leading scorer on the team behind teammate Antonio Reddic, and his defense has been one of the strong points for this year’s team playing as the big man under the net. However, looking at where he is now, you would never know that his childhood was not always the easiest.

Baker grew up in Detroit, Michigan where he was constantly in and out of foster care throughout his childhood. Baker was forced to move around a lot and that lead to him not being able to play basketball at a young age. He was constantly in and out of Juvenile Detention Centers and did not get the opportunity to play sports, let alone basketball, from a very young age.

“Growing up in Detroit was pretty tough,” said Baker. “When I was 9 I was admitted into foster care, so I grew up in foster care. I was a real wild child so that was why I never played basketball at high school, college, or Amateur Athletic Union leagues.”

Through all of this craziness in his childhood, Baker was able to overcome it and use it in a positive light to help him find the sport he now loves. According to Baker he found the game of basketball when he was 16 years old in a Juvenile Detention Facility. The conditions were not the best for the game, but Baker would make it work and turned it into something special.

“I found basketball when I got sent to a Juvenile Detention Facility when I was 16,” said Baker. “There was nothing else to do and we played on a carpet floor with no break away rims. There was nothing else to do so we just played, and I could never shoot or dribble but I was always athletic.”

Little did Baker know at the time, but this leisure activity in the Juvenile Facility was about to become something much bigger and lead to a bright future for him. After leaving the Juvenile Detention Facility, Baker and a friend took a trip up to the University of Michigan for a tournament. Much to Baker’s surprise, this is what would ultimately lead him to becoming a member of an organized basketball team for the first time in his life.

“I was playing with a friend in a three-on-three tournament at the University of Michigan, and I won a dunk contest against the University of Michigan athletes,” said Baker. “A junior college coach came up and asked me ‘are you playing anywhere’ and I said ‘no.’ Then he gave me a scholarship for winning the dunk contest, and that is how I got into basketball.”

Baker would go on to play for his first organized basketball team at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. In his senior season with the Crimson Hawks, Baker averaged 20.7 points per game, which was second on the team, and collected a team high 220 rebounds in his 28 games played. Baker would be eligible for the National Basketball Association draft after that season but unfortunately did not get picked up.

After college, Baker mostly played basketball around the Pittsburgh area in local summer leagues. He did get the opportunity to play one year over seas, but after a year he was back playing local basketball. Through these summer leagues, he found the Steel City Yellow Jackets and it was current Owner and Head Coach Averill Pippens, known by the players as Coach Ace, who gave Baker the opportunity with the Yellow Jackets.

“Coach Ace came to one of the leagues I was playing in and was passing out flyers,” said Baker. “A friend of mine told me I should just go up there and try it out, so I went up there and its been going ever since.”

Baker was a member of the Yellow Jackets in their first season and Coach Ace is still one of the key people in Baker’s life to help motivate him on the court. According to Baker, Coach Ace is the guy who encourages him to be himself on the court and motivates him to continue to get better on a day-to-day basis whether it be on the court or off of the court.

“Coach Ace basically he motivates me to keep leading and keep doing what I do,” said Baker. “My game is solid, there is nothing I do great, there is nothing I do exceptionally well, but I play hard and do whatever it takes to win. Coach Ace lets me go with that and keep my attitude and he really lets me play my game.”

Baker is one of three current Steel City Yellow Jackets who were part of the team for the inaugural game back on November 8^th 2014. Fellow Jackets Gilmore Cummings and Antonio Reddic were also on that team and all three players have grown together over the course of their time with the Yellow Jackets. Baker has echoed what Reddic and Cummings have said about the three being like brothers and growing together through the Yellow Jackets.

“They’re my bros man, those two are some good guys,” said Baker. “Tone [Reddic] is a very good athlete, Gil [Cummings] is a very smart guard, and they have my back and I have their back. I’m the enforcer of the group so anytime they have a problem I’m there no matter what’s going on.”

As the enforcer of the group, Baker is a menacing figure on the court standing in at six feet six inches tall and weighing in at about 230 pounds. As Baker gets up there in age he is relying more and more on his strength over his athletic ability and he uses this to his full advantage. As Baker says, if he gets an arm around you, you’re not moving.

“I’m just strong, so I just try to use my strength as an advantage,” said Baker. “I’m older now, so these guys can jump higher than me and move faster than me, but they are not stronger than me and they are not going to move me. Unless you’re jumping over me you’re not going to get around me because when I put an arm on you, you’re not going anywhere.”

Baker’s overall goal when it comes to basketball is to win and represent the city well. According to Baker, Detroit is considered more of a basketball city and Pittsburgh is definitely more football. He wants to try and open up an avenue for the kids playing at the college level so that they can have something to look forward to in their athletic adventures after the college level.

“[The Steel City Yellow Jackets] are good because it gives kids who are playing in high school and college locally something to look forward too,” said Baker. “Everybody can’t play overseas, everybody can’t play in the NBA, so this gives them another opportunity where they can come and play basketball at a high level.”

Baker has become a truly great asset for the Steel City Yellow Jackets since joining the team in 2014. From his humble beginnings back in Detroit to now, Baker has grown not only in physical size and strength, but mentally as well. As far as his basketball career goes Baker says, “I don’t know how much longer my old butt is going to be around, but I’ll be here as long as I can.” The Steel City Yellow Jackets hope that it is for a long time so they can capture that elusive American Basketball Association title. 

Jackets Up To Number 23 After Split Weekend

 

In this week's addition of the American Basketball Association Power Rankings, the Steel City Yellow Jackets have moved up to the number 23 spot on the list after a weekend in which they split their contests. They defeated the Baltimore Hawks 128-119 on Friday night and fell to the Richmond Elite 118-98 on Saturday night.

The week nine addition of the American Basketball Association Power Rankings has been released and the Steel City Yellow Jackets moved up two spots from the number 25 team in the country to the number 23 team in the country. The Yellow Jackets ended up splitting their contests this weekend and improved to 7-6 on the season, with a record of 5-3 at the Neighborhood Academy and a record of 2-3 on the road.

The Yellow Jackets would end up splitting their contests over the weekend as they fell to the Baltimore Hawks on Friday night by the score of 128-119, however, they fell to the Richmond Elite the very next day 118-98. Antonio Reddic was the leading scorer in both games as he continues his offensive tear scoring 30 or more points in six straight contests. Reddic is the leading scorer for the Yellow Jackets this season with 327 points so far in the teams 13 games.

Friday night saw the Yellow Jackets locked in an offensive battle with the Baltimore Hawks all the way to the end. The Hawks jumped out to an early lead, however, the Yellow Jackets would fight back from being down 37-30 to take a 67-60 half time lead. The Jackets would then hold onto that lead for the rest of the day. The closest the Hawks would come to getting back in this game was when they cut the Jackets lead to 117-107 with under four minutes to go. However, the Yellow Jackets would pull away late and come out on top 128-119.

It was a break-out game for one of the newest Yellow Jackets, Dre Anthony, as he scored a season high 23 points including two big three point shots that helped his team secure the victory. Anthony and fellow newcomer BillyDee Williams have been a welcome addition to the Yellow Jackets lineup. Williams scored in double digits in his second contest as a Yellow Jackets and was one of the defensive stars of the game on Friday night as the big man under the hoop.

Saturday night, the Yellow Jackets were on the road as they faced off against the Richmond Elite looking for a sweep of their weekend games. Things looked like they were going the Yellow Jackets way from the get go as they jumped out to an early 32-25 lead and took a 56-51 lead into half time. However, the Jackets would be unable to hold on as the Elite increased their scoring total in every quarter, and their 37 point fourth quarter was enough to put the Yellow Jackets away and hand them a 118-98 loss.

It was Reddic once again who would lead the crew with 30 points on the night keeping his 30 points or more streak going. The Yellow Jackets just didnt have enough in the tank to finish this one out and their fast start would go for not as they only mustered 18 points in the fourth quarter that ultimately lead to their downfall.

The Yellow Jackets have fought back into the American Basketball Association power rankings after not being featured two weeks ago. They came in as the number 25 team in the country last week and moved up two places in this week's addition of the ABA lower rankings. The Jackets continue to get better and better each week as they fight for that all important third straight trip the the American Basketball Association playoff tournament.

The top of the ABA Power Rankings stays pretty much the same with the DMV Warriors being number one with their undefeated record. As it stands now the top 10 looks like this:

            1. DMV Warriors (9-0)
            2. South Florida Gold (13-2)
            3. Orlando Waves (11-2)
            4. Kentucky Enforcers (10-1)
            5. Windy City Groove (8-0)  
            6. Arizona Wildcats (8-1)    
            7. Salina Saints (7-0)  
            8. Austin Bats (7-1)
            9. Chicago Fury (8-2)        
            10. Orange County Novastars (9-3)

The Steel City Yellow Jackets will once again look to improve their standing in the ABA top 25 power rankings this week when they go on the road to take on the Prince George's Valor on Saturday January 21st. Antonio Reddic, Gilmore Cummings, Lawrence Baker, and the rest of the Steel City Yellow Jackets will be looking to pick up their eighth victory of the year and will continue to compete for that elusive American Basketball Association Title.

Jackets Take Road Loss End Up Splitting Weekend

The Steel City Yellow Jackets went on the road last night to take on the Richmond Elite in the second game of the weekend. However, they were not as lucky as their first game as they fell to the Elite 118-98 dropping their season record to 7-6.

The Steel City Yellow Jackets played the second half of a weekend double header last night when they traveled down to Richmond, Virginia to take on the Richmond Elite. The Yellow Jackets would play solid basketball throughout, but fell just short in the end as the Elite were able to grab the victory by the score of 118-98 dropping the Yellow Jackets to 7-6 on the season.

The Yellow Jackets had an ok road record coming into the game as they sat at 2-2 on the season and were trying to improve upon that in this one. In Friday's contest, the Yellow Jackets would have a slow start and had to work to get back in the game and pick-up the victory. This game, however, was the exact opposite effect. The Yellow Jackets came out firing on all cylinders early in this one, lead by the red hot veteran Antonio Reddic who scored 14 points in the first quarter alone.

The Yellow Jackets would use this rallying point to mount an early 32-25 lead. To go along with Reddic's efforts, the Yellow Jackets would hit three big three point shots by Gil Cummings, Johnathan Logan, and Dre Anthony to rack up the points early. Logan has been the guy the Yellow Jackets have turned to when they needed a clutch three point shot this season and they went to him again early in this one.

The Richmond Elite would try to fight back in the second quarter, with the help of Anthony Sally's seven point effort that included a big three point shot. They did outscore the Yellow Jackets 26-24, but it was not enough to take the lead as the teams went into the locker room with the Jackets leading by the score of 56-51. One thing the Jackets have been great at this season is having the lead at half time as there are only four games all season in which the Jackets did not lead going into the break.

Antonio Reddic would lead his club in scoring at half time racking up 20 points in the contest and putting himself well on his way to continuing his streak of scoring 30 or more points in a game. He was followed by another great effort from Dre Anthony, who had 14 points on the night, and a tie between Juan Franklin and Gil Cummings for the third leading scorer with seven points each. For the Elite, Anthony Wynn led the half time score sheet scoring 15 points followed by Jaleel Nelson, 13 points, and Anthony Sally, seven points.

In the second half, both teams would come out hot as the Elite were trying to come back in this game and the Yellow Jackets were trying desperately to hold the lead. Gil Cummings and Dre Anthony would hit three point shots and Reddic would score seven in the quarter, but it was not enough to combat the Elite's 30 point attack that spread out between six different scorers and gave them a one point lead heading into the final quarter of play.

The offensive attack would only get better for the Elite in the fourth quarter as they put up their highest total of the game scoring 37 points . For the Yellow Jackets, it was their worst quarter of play in terms of scoring and even though Cummings hit two more three point shots, the Jackets could only muster 18 points in the quarter en route to falling to the Elite by the final score of 118-98. The loss drops the Yellow Jackets to 7-6 on the season and they fall to under a .500 winning percentage on the road, dropping to 2-3.

Reddic finished the day as the leading scorer for the Yellow Jackets with his 32 point effort, and increased his 30 points or more in a game streak to six. He was followed by Dre Anthony, 19 points, and Gil Cummings, 17 points, to round out the top three scorers. These were the only three Yellow Jackets to score in double digits on the day. For the Elite, it was Jaleel Nelson who would rule the day scoring 26 points. He was followed by Anthony Wynn's 23 point effort and Bernard Alston's 19 point effort.

Steel City Player of the Game: Antonio Reddic

Antonio Reddic has been absolutely red hot for the Yellow Jackets in recent weeks. With his 32 points in this game he has now scored 30 or more points in each of the Yellow Jacket's last six contests dating all the way back to December 17th against the Fredericksburg Grizzlies when he tied his season high scoring 38 points. Reddic has been one of the MVPs of this year's team so far and he will look to continue his success going into the last month and a half of the 2016/2017 regular season.

Up Next:

The Yellow Jackets will continue their slate of road games next Saturday, January 21st when they take on the Prince George's Valor. The next time the Yellow Jackets are scheduled to be at home is on February 3rd when they take on the Buffalo Blue Hawks. However, with their games on the 28th and 29th being moved up in the season, there is a possibility of home games on both of those dates. There are still plenty of opportunities left to see the Yellow Jackets in action so, if you haven't already, be sure to come on out and catch the buzz.

Jackets Come Up Big With Rivalry Gane Win

The Steel City Yellow Jackets played some hard nose basketball and came out victorious as they defeated their rivals, the Baltimore Hawks, by the score of 128-119. The victory propelled the Jackets to 7-5 on the season as they head on the road today.

Pittsburgh and Baltimore are two cities that genuinely hate each other in the sporting world. Whether it was the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Baltimore Orioles battling in the 70's for the world series or the classic rough and tough battle between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL today, neither city likes to see the other one across from them.

This classic Pittsburgh versus Baltimore rivalry would continue last night when the Steel City Yellow Jackets took on the number 21 team in the country in the Baltimore Hawks. It was the Yellow Jackets black out game and a capacity crowd filled the Neighborhood Academy to watch this classic rivalry.

The Yellow Jackets made some key mistakes early on in this matchup and it would allow the Hawks to jump out to an early 18-9 lead just give minutes into the contest. The Yellow Jackets would continue to fight back however and caused big turnovers to put them right back in it. After one quarter of play, with the score sat at 37-30.

The Yellow Jackets scoring was widely spread out in the first quarter as eight different Yellow Jackets got on the board. Gilmore Cummings led the bunch scoring six points in the first quarter of play. The chirpiness was already starting in this one and wasn't about to quiet down a bit.

The second quarter would belong to the Yellow Jackets as they took control of the scoreboard putting up 38 points to the Hawks 23. Good defense and rebounding by Lawrence Baker helped the Yellow Jackets to secure the ball and Dre Anthony made the most of his offensive opportunities scoring 14 points in the second quarter alone. Baltimore was baffled in the quarter as they had a lot of bad shots and a lot of turnovers. Nardi Bogues was the only one who seemed to be clicking as he scored seven points in the quarter.

The Jackets would go into half time with the lead once again as it was 67-60. Dre Anthony would lead the team in scoring at the half with 14 points on the night. He was followed closely by Lawrence Baker, 11 points, and Antonio Reddic, 10 points. For the Hawks, it would be Dishawn Bradshaw leading the way with 17 points followed by Bogues, 13 points, and Ding Santos, nine points.

The Yellow Jackets were in full control of this game with no signs of stopping before half time. However, when they came out to start the third quarter, some of the mistakes that had haunted them early on came back to bite them as the Hawks fought to get back in this game. As the quarter went on the Jackets would clean up their mistakes and the Hawks would start making mistakes of their own as both teams scored 27 points in the quarter. Reddic had the hot hand in the quarter as he was able to put up eight for the Yellow Jackets.

The crowd was into this one as they rocked the Neighborhood Academy setting up for one of the most exciting finishes all season. As holds true in many of these Pittsburgh/Baltimore matchups, things started to get heated towards the end of the game. There was a lot of trash talking among the teams, but the peace was kept and the game was managed very well between Coach Ace and Coach Brown for Baltimore.

With less than four minutes left in the game, the Yellow Jackets had a ten point lead sitting at 117-107 and the Hawks tried everything to come back. They fouled the Yellow Jackets three times over the last minute of play but they could not get anything going as they would ultimately fall in this one by the score of 128-119.

The Yellow Jacket were once again lead by veteran Antonio Reddic who scored 30 points on the night increasing his streak to five straight games now in which he has scored 30 or more points. Dre Anthony also had a strong showing in his first home contest with the Yellow Jackets as he put up 23 points in the night, followed by Lawrence Baker's 17 point effort. For the Hawks it was Nardi Bogues who would lead the way with a game high 32 points on the night. He was followed by Dishawn Bradshaw's 27 point effort in the game.

The win moves the Yellow Jackets to 7-5 on the season as they head out in the road today to face the Richmond Elite. The Yellow Jackets were the number 25 team in the country coming into the game and are looking to move up after beating the number 21 team in the country.

Steel City Yellow Jackets Player of the Game: Dre Anthony

In his first home game as a Yellow Jacket, Dre Anthony came up big with 23 points on the night and it was enough to secure him the Yellow Jackets Player of the Game award. Anthony recently joined the Yellow Jackets and is looking to make an immediate impact as they make a run for a third straight playoff apperance.

Up Next:

The Steel City Yellow Jackets are back in action today when they take on the Richmond Elite on the road. The next time the Yellow Jackets are scheduled to play at home is on February 3rd when they take on the Buffalo Blue Hawks. There are only a few remaining home games left, so if you haven't already come on out and catch the buzz.

Cummings Uses Hard Work and Determination to Achieve His Professional Basketball Dreams in Pittsburgh

Steel City Yellow Jackets team captain and veteran Gilmore Cummings knew from a young age that basketball was what he wanted to pursue as a career. Through hard work and perseverance, he was able to achieve that dream and now has become a star of this year's Steel City Yellow Jackets Team.

It all started with a six-year-old boy, a basketball hoop, and a dream of becoming a professional basketball player. Steel City Yellow Jackets team captain and veteran Gilmore Cummings knew that basketball was his sport from the time he was six years old. His dad bought him a basketball hoop for the back yard and introduced him to the sport of basketball. His dad showed him everything he knew, and Cummings immediately fell in love with the sport.

“I knew basketball was my sport since I was six years old,” said Cummings. “My father kept me around the game of basketball and showed me the ins and outs of the sport. He had me practicing shooting and that is when I developed a love for the game.”

This practice and hard work from a young age would pay off for Cummings and lead to what would be known as one of the top high school basketball careers in the Pittsburgh Area. Cummings attended David B. Oliver High School and competed in the Pittsburgh City League. He would start three seasons for Oliver earning four letterman awards. In his three years as a starter he would become the all-time leading scorer in Oliver High School Basketball history scoring 1,350 points in his three seasons of play. For Cummings, the experience made him realize that his childhood dream was soon to become a reality.

“At the high school level I was named player of the year,” said Cummings. “The whole high school experience made me realize that I wanted to make basketball my career.”

Coming out of high school, Cummings had every opportunity to do just that. He got letters from countless coaches across the college ranks looking for him to come and make an impact on their program. However, just as he was about to sign on with Robert Morris University, disaster struck as he got hurt before an all-star game. It was a tough time for Cummings, but he was determined to get back to the sport he loved at the next level.

“I was getting letters and having coaches calling me left and right,” said Cummings. “But then I got hurt going into an all-star game and Robert Morris pulled back their scholarship, and I went to Junior College instead.”

After playing two years at the junior college level, Cummings eventually made it back to the NCAA college basketball scene when he transferred to Division II Edinboro University where he played two seasons. In the 2008/2009 season he was second in scoring for the Fighting Scots with 437 points in 28 games played. He averaged 15.6 points per game while shooting 41% on the season, including making 42 of his 120 three point shots. After his time at Edinboro he went on to play for the former American Basketball Association team in Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Phantoms, before moving overseas to play in Germany.

After playing for a year over in Germany, Cummings got a call from a familiar friend about the opportunity to play basketball in Pittsburgh again. It was Cummings old high school coach and current Yellow Jackets Owner and Head Coach Averill Pippens, or as he is better known by players Coach Ace. Coach Ace informed Cummings of an opportunity to try out for the newly formed ABA team in Pittsburgh, the Steel City Yellow Jackets.

“I was playing over in Germany and Coach Ace met me and broke the news about the Steel City Yellow Jackets,” Said Cummings. “He told me I should try out for the team so I did and I ended up making it for that first season of play.”

Cummings and Coach Ace have had a strong bond dating all the way back to Cummings high school days at Oliver. Ace helped guide Cummings to become the leading scorer in Oliver high school history and even today he pushes him to be the best player he can possibly be. Cummings knows that if he ever needs anything Coach Ace will have his back and in return he would do anything for the third year Steel City Yellow Jackets Head Coach.

“I love Coach Ace,” said Cummings. “He has coached me since high school and he has always had my back throughout. I know he always has my back and I always have his back as well. Coach Ace has gotten a lot of people to commit on this team. Practices are now every day and we are trying to build a more consistent basis for our basketball team.”

Since joining the Steel City Yellow Jackets, Cummings has been the team leader year in and year out looking to steer his guys in the right direction as they fight for a playoff spot on a year to year basis. However, he has not been alone, he has had the help of his fellow veterans on the team Antonio Reddic and Lawrence Baker. All three of these players have been with the Steel City Yellow Jackets since the beginning and they have grown not only as teammates but as friends as well. According to Cummings, they have officially gone from teammates to brothers and it has helped this Yellow Jackets team take off.

“Baker and Reddic are my two favorite teammates,” said Cummings. “We make each other better because our chemistry has been consistent. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and those two guys are just great to play with.”

Cummings’s philosophy on the court is to just win. Whether it be against the best team in all of the American Basketball Association or against the worst, Cummings wants to play 100% and leave it all out on the court. He knows the Yellow Jackets are a growing team and are getting better and better every year and he wants to keep that tradition going. When teams play the Yellow Jackets, he wants it to be a hard fought battle that they won’t soon forget.

“When teams hear that they are playing the Yellow Jackets they play hard,” said Cummings. “We play hard and Coach Ace has us ready by going hard in practice every day so we are prepared for whoever we are playing.”

Cummings leadership both on and off the court have driven the Yellow Jackets for the past two seasons and he will look to lead the team to success once again here in 2017. His passion and leadership are two of the key ingredients that make this team go and he has helped to form the winning attitude that this team has been built around. Cummings career has come full circle from a six-year-old boy with a hoop and a dream, to playing professional basketball in the city he grew up in and loves. 

Yellow Jackets Bounce Back in Win Against Lake Hawks

The Steel City Yellow Jackets got back to their winning ways in Sunday defeating the West Michigan Lake Hawks by the score of 107-103. The win have the Yellow Jackets a split of their Michigan Road trip as they head into their rivalry game this Friday night.

After dropping the second half opener against the Grand Rapids Danger, the Steel City Yellow Jackets were looking for a bounce back victory Sunday night when they continued their Michigan road trip as they took on the West Michigan Lake Hawks. They would be able to get it done on this night and go back over .500 as they defeated the Lake Hawks by the score of 107-103 improving their record to 6-5 so far on the 2016/2017 season.

The Yellow Jackets would once again get off to a fast start in this one as Antonio Reddic continues to light up the scoreboard since becoming a Jackets starter by scoring 12 points in the first quarter alone. He was helped out by three three-point shots by Lawrence Baker to give the Yellow Jackets a 31-24 lead after one quarter of play. Newest Yellow Jacket BillyDee appeared in his second game and scored his first two points via two free throw shots during that first quarter of play.

This would be a back and forth game throughout, however, as the Lake Hawks fought back in the second quarter to score 33 points between eight different players. Xavier Keeling lead the Lake Hawks in the second quarter scoring 8 points and helping to give them a slim 57-55 lead as the teams headed for the locker room. One thing the Yellow Jackets have been able to do this year is have the lead at half time as this is only the fourth time in the team’s 11 games that they have not had the lead going into the break.

Antonio Reddic would once again lead the Yellow Jackets in scoring at half time as he collected 16 points through the first half of play. Lawrence Baker and Bobby Swartwout both had nine points at the break and BillyDee rounded out the top three scorers with five points in his second game as a Yellow Jacket. For the Lake Hawks, Marquis Brewer and Lou Williams paced the offense in the first half scoring 10 points each. Since the Yellow Jackets have very rarely been on the losing end at half time, the team had to regroup and come out ready to take back the lead.

Lawrence Baker would get the Yellow Jackets offense going in the third quarter as he took advantage of a 3D situation and made a four point shot to get the offense off the ground. He would hit another three point shot in the quarter to give him five shots totaling three or more points in the ball game. Reddic would have another big third quarter for the Yellow Jackets as he put up a team high 11 points giving the Yellow Jackets 24 points in the quarter. However, The Lake Hawks would come out hot as well scoring 24 points and keeping that slim two point lead as the score sat at 81-79.

The Yellow Jackets were without their team captain and veteran Gil Cummings in the third quarter as he received a technical foul at the end of the second quarter for arguing with the refs and it forced him to sit out. However, he would come back in the fourth quarter and prove key in the Yellow Jackets eventually coming out of this one with the victory.

The three point shot would be the Yellow Jackets savior in this game as in the fourth quarter they hit four key three point shots to give the Yellow Jackets the lead. Billy Williams, Gil Cummings, Lawrence Baker, and Isaiah Prince each hit from long distance. The Jackets defense would hold up strong and the Yellow Jackets would just edge out the Lake Hawks scoring 28 points to the Lake Hawks 22 and picking up the 107-103 victory. The win improved the Yellow Jackets to 6-5 on the season and put their road record to 2-2 so far.

Antonio Reddic would lead the Yellow Jackets in scoring for the fourth straight game as he was once again over 30 points on the night as he scored 32 on the evening. Reddic would be followed by Baker, 19 points, and Isaiah Prince, 11 points. BillyDee put up a good performance in his second game as a Yellow Jacket as well as he collected 10 points in the contest to round out the four Yellow Jackets to finish in double digits on the night. The Lake Hawks were lead on the night by Marquis Brewer who finished with 20 points on the evening. Rounding out the top three scorers for the Lake Hawks were Ralph Monoay, 15 points, and Lou Williams, 14 points.

This was a big victory for the Yellow Jackets as they come back home this Friday to take on their rivals the Baltimore Hawks. Momentum is always a good thing to have on your side and that’s what the Jackets now have with this comeback victory over West Michigan. If they can build off of this momentum, it could take them all the way to their third playoff appearance here in their third year of existence.

Steel City Player of the Game: Lawrence Baker

Lawrence Baker was able to add a spark to this Yellow Jackets offense today hitting four three point shots and a 3D four point shot on the day to get the Yellow Jackets going and it was enough to earn him his second straight player of the game. He finished the night with 19 points putting him in double digits for the second straight night. Baker’s scoring was down before the break as he was struggling to find the net. However, he is back and his offensive production is going to be a big boost for this Yellow Jackets team moving forward.

Up Next:

The Steel City Yellow Jackets have a quick turnaround as they take on their rivals the Baltimore Hawks this Friday at 8:30 p.m. at the Neighborhood Academy. It will be a black out as all fans attending the game are encouraged to wear black in support of the Yellow Jackets. Tickets will be ten dollars for adults and five dollars for students. Baltimore versus Pittsburgh is always fun and this game will be no exception, so come on out and Catch the Buzz.

Jackets Drop Second Half Opener to Danger

The Steel City Yellow Jackets opened up the second half of their regular season yesterday with a game against the Grand Rapids Danger. It was a close game throughout, however, the Danger edged out the Yellow Jackets by the final score of 118-113.

The Steel City Yellow Jackets were back in action last night for the start of the second half of their 2016/2017 regular season as they took on the number 16 team in the country in the Grand Rapids Danger. It did not go the Jackets way on this night as they fell by the final score of 118-113 dropping their record on the year to 5-5.  It marks the first time since December 3rd that the Jackets have had a record at or below a .500 winning percentage.

The Yellow Jackets would come out firing in this game as they took control early on jumping out to a 38-22 lead by the end of the first quarter of play. Lawrence Baker turned up the offense early and racked up a team high 15 points in the quarter. Johnathan Logan was also a key contributor hitting a couple of big three point shots to give him nine points early on. Baker's offense had been down as of late and to see him turn it on early was a great sign for the Yellow Jackets.

The Grand Rapids Danger would step up their defensive game in the second quarter, however, and hold the Jackets to just 14 points. Baker and Logan came through with three-point shots, and veteran Antonio Reddic scored five in the quarter. However, Grand Rapids Danger guard Jimmie Harvey put up 16 points in the quarter, outscoring the entire Yellow Jackets team, to cut the Yellow Jackets lead to just 52-46 going into the break.

Lawrence Baker would lead the Yellow Jackets through the first half with his team high 18 points. He would be followed by Johnathan Logan who had 12 points on the night. Three point shots ruled the first half for the Yellow Jackets as Baker hit two in the first half of play and all 12 of Logan's points came via beyond the arc. For the Danger, it would be Harvey leading the night with 18 points followed by Alex Musterts four point effort. The Yellow Jackets would be looking to hold on to their slim six point lead as they headed into the second half of play.

That lead would not stand up, however, as after a high scoring second half of play the Yellow Jackets ended up falling by the final score of 118-113. Antonio Reddic would turn on the offense in the second half scoring 29 points to give him a team high 34 points in the contest. This marked the third straight game in which Reddic has been over 30 points in a game. After being the sixth man for the Yellow Jackets at the start of the season, Reddic has found a home in the Yellow Jackets starting five and is making the most of his opportunities.

Following Reddic were three other Yellow Jackets who scored in double digits as Baker ended the day with 20 points, Logan finished with 16 points, and Isaiah Prince turned it on in the second half finishing with 15 points in the contest. Team Captain and veteran Gilmore Cummings did not play much in this game as he was in foul trouble early on and had to sit out the entire third quarter before coming back into the game in the fourth quarter with four fouls.

The loss dropped the Yellow Jackets to 5-5 on the season. Along with the loss in record, The Jackets also suffered a loss on the depth chart as Juan Franklin suffered a knee injury in the second quarter of the game and did not return for the rest of the game. However, with the loss came some positive for the Yellow Jackets as they signed on Billy Dee Williams from West Virginia University. The six foot six inch guard joined the Yellow Jackets on Friday and is expected to play in tonight's contest with the West Michigan Lake Hawks.

Steel City Yellow Jackets Player of the Game: Lawrence Baker

After a couple of down weeks offensively, Lawrence Baker got his scoring total back up to top three status and it was enough to secure him today's Steel City Player of the Week Award. He scored 20 points in the contest and although it wasn't enough for the Yellow Jackets top secure a victory, but it is a very good sign for the Yellow Jackets offense moving forward. With Baker, Reddic, and Cummings firing on all cylinders, this team will be able to reach the ultimate goal of a third straight playoff appearance.

Up Next:

The Yellow Jackets are wrapping up a double header road trip with their game against West Michigan tonight. The Jackets are looking to improve upon their 1-2 road record so far this season. The next time the Jackets will be at home is January 13th when they take on the Baltimore Hawks at the Neighborhood Academy. The Yellow Jackets need your support through the final stretch so come on out and catch the buzz.

Pittsburgh Born and Raised Antonio Reddic Proud to Represent Pittsburgh Area

Antonio Reddic was born and raised in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania and has been around sports his entire life. He is proud to represent the city of Pittsburgh and continues to show the passion for both basketball and his hometown on the court night in and night out for the Steel City Yellow Jackets

“Fight, Fight, Fight.” This has been Steel City Yellow Jackets Guard Antonio Reddic’s motto in everything he does. Reddic has been a member of the Steel City Yellow Jackets since the team was founded back on November 8^th, 2014. He has lead the team to the playoffs in each of their first two years of existence, and Reddic currently leads the team in scoring with 194 points during the season. After starting the year as the sixth man off the bench, he has made his way into the Yellow Jackets every day starting lineup.

Reddic is tearing it up on the court for the Yellow Jackets now, but growing up in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania basketball was not his number one sport. Reddic was a star football player who played street ball from time to time and it was not until his 11^th grade year when he found basketball and developed a love for the game. It was in a game against Schenley High School when it was cemented in his mind that basketball was the sport for him.

“In my 11^th grade year we played against Schenley [High School] and I got to start,” said Reddic. “I was about to just stop and continue playing football, but then I saw a couple people like [Denver Nuggets guard] DJ Kennedy, [Phoenix Suns guard] Dejuan Blair, and a couple of the big names in basketball that I was reading about before I was playing. To be out there and doing as well as I was I knew I could keep reaching to the next level.”

This drive and determination helped Reddic to excel in the sport of basketball and in his senior year he lead Aliquippa to the state title against the defending state champions Prep Charter of Philadelphia. Unfortunately, after a great game by Reddic in which he scored a team high 23 points, ten rebounds, and six assists, Aliquippa would fall in the state title game leaving Reddic wondering what his next step would be.

“Right out of high school I didn’t have any scholarships for basketball,” said Reddic. “I had all football scholarships for division I, division II, division III you name it, but I went to Juco College in New York and I ended up breaking my collar bone, and that’s when I started playing basketball.”

It would be a long painful road back for Reddic, but eventually he would get back to basketball as he moved down to New Mexico state where he rehabbed and got back to the sport he loved. He would finish out his schooling at Edinboro University and that is where he met up with fellow veteran and Steel City Yellow Jackets team captain Gilmore Cummings. The two made an immediate connection and this is what ultimately landed Reddic with the Steel City Yellow Jackets.

“If it wasn’t for Gil I wouldn’t be here,” said Reddic. “I went to school at Edinboro when I transferred for football and he graduated from Edinboro where I met him, and from there we just connected.”

And that connection is what ultimately lead Reddic to the Steel City Yellow Jackets. Reddic has seen this team through all of the good times and the bad times. Since 2014 he has been on two playoff bound teams including a team that in 2014 started off the season 8-0. Through all of the ups and downs this is what has stayed consistent, Reddic’s love for the team and this city. He wants to be able to bring basketball to the many fans in the Pittsburgh area who have been longing for a basketball team for so many years. He feels that as the Yellow Jackets continue to grow, the possibility for basketball in Pittsburgh gets better and better.

“We are the only professional [basketball] team around here,” said Reddic. “People need basketball around here. People don’t think it’s a basketball city but it really is. We have multiple sports including hockey, football, and baseball but we just need basketball now and I believe we can do it. We just have to get the support from our fans and keep them believing in us and we can do it.”

Reddic is one of three veterans on this year’s Yellow Jackets team. Joining him are Team Captain Gilmore Cumming and veteran guard Lawrence Baker. Reddic has developed a great chemistry with these two and it has led to a strong core of leadership on this team to help the young guys continue to grow. Reddic says that Baker and Cummings have been his biggest supporters on this team and he has their backs no matter what happens with the team.

“I’m an only child and [Cummings and Baker] are like my brothers,” said Reddic. “Every step of the way I have their backs and they have mine no matter right or wrong whatever they want to do I’m all in for it.”

This chemistry and Reddic’s competitive spirit is what has given him the success he has had for the Yellow Jackets. Reddic plays with fire and passion that is almost unmatched on the court. This competitive spirit not only drives him on the court but drives him in everything he does. Whether it be on the court or with life in general, Reddic is determined to be the hardest worker out there and through hard work and determination he is determined to come out on top in everything he does. Basketball has been a big part of his life and he continues to show his passion for the game even at the professional level.

“[Basketball] means a lot to me,” said Reddic. “I’m a competitor, I love living for the extra fight, the extra adrenaline, and it’s great I love it. I love sports period and I’m just a competitor. It doesn’t matter if I’m playing basketball or soccer I just want to win.”

Reddic’s winning spirit and passion is what has lead the Yellow Jackets to two straight playoff runs and what will be needed in the future to make it three in a row. Reddic has been a big part of the Yellow Jackets success and he wants to play as long as he possibly can while still contributing. And the Yellow Jackets would love to have him for as long as they can while they look to capture that all important American Basketball Association title.

Jackets and Pittsburgh Steelwheelers Participate in First Annual Charity Game

The Steel City Yellow Jackets and Pittsburgh Steel Wheelers participated in the first annual charity game on Saturday night at the neighborhood academy. The game was played to help raise awareness of spinal cord injuries and proceeds from the game benefited the Pittsburgh Steel Wheelers.

It was a fun night of basketball action at the Neighborhood Academy on Saturday night as the Steel City Yellow Jackets took on the Pittsburgh Steel Wheelers in their first annual charity game. The game was played to help raise awareness of spinal cord injuries and proceeds from the game benefited the Pittsburgh Steel Wheelers and their mission to make athletics accessible to everyone in the western Pennsylvania region.

Normally, the Steel City Yellow Jackets are running up and down the court in a fast-paced, high-scoring style offense. However, today they had to learn how to play the game while sitting down as each player competed in a wheel chair. The odds were not in the Yellow Jacket's favor from the beginning as the Steel Wheelers were the number 11 ranked team in the country in the National Wheel Chair Basketball Association's Division III.

Right from the get go the Yellow Jackets found themselves in a hole. As the players were trying to figure out how to maneuver their wheelchairs, the Steel Wheelers were running up and down the court scoring point after point and they jumped out to an early 21-0 lead. The onslaught would continue as at half time the score sat at 36-0 Steel Wheelers.

The Yellow Jackets tried everything they could to put points up, but the Steel Wheelers had complete control of this ball game. At the break Stics Scott lead the team in scoring with 10 points followed by Sarah Henzel, 6 points, and Chris Milo, 4 points. The Steel City Yellow Jackets were still scoreless and had to call on their secret weapon in head coach Ace Pippens. Pippens was a former member of the Steel Wheelers and would try to help the Yellow Jackets come back in this one.

At half time Pippens and Steel Wheelers head coach Chris Meilo worked out a deal in which the teams would flip scores and the Steel Wheelers would try to beat the 36 points they scored in the first half. With the lead, and a new found spirit, the Yellow Jackets would try once again to put points up on the board.

The Yellow Jackets would score their first points of the day in the third quarter when Gil Cummings came through and hit a two-point shot to put the Yellow Jackets on the board. Antonio Reddic would add a free throw to make the unofficial score after three quarters 54-3. Things would get slightly better in the fourth quarter as Luke Kochka hit a three-pointer and Ace Pippens added a point of his own.

However, the Steel Wheelers would still rule the day as the final score was Steel Wheelers 74 and the Steel City Yellow Jackets 7. Luke Kochka would be the leading scorer with a whopping three points on the night. The other scorers for the Yellow Jackets were Gil Cummings, 2 points, and Ace Pippens and Antonio Reddic, 1 point each. For the Steel Wheelers it would be Stics Scott leading the way with 20 points on the night followed by Jesse Robinson, 13 points, and Jeremy Bittner, 12 points.

The game was a lopsided one, but more important than the game was the spirit of having fun and giving back in the process. The Steel City Yellow Jackets and Pittsburgh Steel Wheelers raised awareness about spinal cord injuries and were able to give back to the Pittsburgh Steel Wheelers raising money to help the game of basketball become more accessible to people with disabilities in the Western Pennsylvania Region.

The Steel City Yellow Jackets will wrap up their winter break in two weeks as they come back to the court January 13th when they take on the Baltimore Hawks at the Neighborhood Academy. Games between Pittsburgh and Baltimore are always exciting and the Yellow Jackets and Hawks will look to keep that rivalry alive. Adult tickets cost ten dollars and student tickets cost five dollars. The Yellow Jackets are looking to make a third straight playoff run and they need you to come out and catch the buzz.