Local roundup: Rockets bounce back with consolation win
Jefferson-Morgan surged in front with a big third quarter and held off visiting Winchester Thursday from there for a 43-39 victory in a WPIAL Class 2A consolation game on Saturday afternoon.
Coach Brandon Lawless’s Rockets improved to 23-2 in bouncing back from a 41-28 loss in the quarterfinals to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart on Thursday.
Jefferson-Morgan advanced to Wednesday’s fifth-place consolation game against visiting Eden Christian to determine their district seed for the PIAA tournament
Jeremiah Robertson led the way for J-M with 18 points, six steals, four assists and two blocked shots.
The score was tied 17-17 at halftime. The Rockets used a 17-6 advantage in the third quarter to build a 34-23 lead.
The Bears held a 16-9 edge in the fourth quarter but J-M held on for the victory.
Dayten Marion contributed eight points, seven rebounds and five blocked shots and John Woodward had seven points with two 3-pointers for the Rockets, who also got six points on a pair of 3-pointers from Brayden Ellsworth.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
BELLE VERNON 42, BURRELL 25 — Saylor Lee totaled a game-high 15 points and eight rebounds as the Lady Leopards clinched a spot in the PIAA Class 4A tournament with a WPIAL consolation victory over the visiting Lady Bucs.
Belle Vernon (21-4) led 10-7, 22-14 and 30-19 at the quarter breaks.
Aubrey Brown had eight points, six rebounds and three blocked shots, and Isis Albyty added eight points and five boards for the Lady Leopards.
Belle Vernon hosts South Park in the district’s fifth-place consolation game 7 p.m. Wednesday.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
SHADY SIDE ACADEMY 47, SOUTHMORELAND 34 — The 13th-seeded Bulldogs held the fifth-seeded Scotties scoreless in the third quarter to seize control and went on to victory in a WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal boys basketball game at Charleroi.
Shady Side led 13-8 after the first quarter and 23-19 at halftime before moving out to a 33-19 advantage in the third. Southmoreland (15-9) held a 15-14 edge in the fourth quarter.
Paul Benec led the Bulldogs (10-14) with 20 points and Cam Mallory added 13.
Brady Sherbondy paced the Scotties with 10 points.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
OUR LADY OF THE SACRED HEART 68, WAYNESBURG CENTRAL 51 — The Lady Chargers out-scored visiting Waynesburg 18-4 in the second quarter on their way to a WPIAL Class 3A consolation game win that ended Waynesburg’s season.
Rowan Winter led OLSH (19-6) with 18 points and was followed by Leah Parker (14), Lola Garner (11) and Shae Trombetta (10).
The Lady Chargers led 19-11, 37-15 and 54-31 at the quarter breaks.
A trio of freshmen led the Lady Raiders (21-4) in scoring. Emma Blair tallied 15 points, Addonae Johnson added 13 and Tess Pauley chipped in with 10.