Westmoreland County basketball notebook: Jeannette’s Dymond shines bright

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, January 19, 2018 | 3:52 PM

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Dymond Crawford grew up watching Ciara Gregory launch 3-pointers and light up the scoreboard at Jeannette.

“I thought it would be pretty cool if that could be me one day,” said Crawford, a junior on Jeannette's girls basketball team.

It looks like Crawford's time has come.

The streaky, 5-foot-9 guard is averaging 19.9 points for Jeannette, which took a 4-10 record into Thursday's home game against Bentworth.

She has had a pair of head-turning games, scoring 36 points, with seven 3-pointers, in the first Section 3-2A game against Bentworth, a 64-41 win. And she dropped in 35 of Jeannette's 46 in a tight 57-46 loss to Greensburg Central Catholic.

Like Gregory, Crawford is not afraid to pull up from well behind the 3-point arc.

“She's a player,” Jeannette coach Janine Vertacnik said. “She loves the game and puts the time in during the offseason. She plays with a lot of confidence.”

Crawford has plenty of athletic pedigree; her father, Paul, was a three-sport athlete in the early 1990's, and she is the cousin of football standout Robert “Poogie” Kennedy.

She said she is embracing the pressure that comes with being the go-to scorer.

“I look forward to it,” she said. “It's something I work for.”

While she has a ways to go, Crawford hopes to make her way up the Jeannette scoring list. The school's 1,000-point club is light on the girls' side. It only consists of three players: Gregory (2,130 points), who starred at UNC Charlotte; Kayla Cook (1,777), who played at Coastal Carolina; and Olivia Sirnic (1,013), who graduated last year.

Section 3 race

Boys Section 3-6A could get interesting again as it winds into the second round of games. After Latrobe's 80-66 upset of No. 2 Penn Hills rattled the standings, it's now Penn Hills (14-1, 6-1) and Woodland Hills (11-2, 6-1) on top, followed by Latrobe (10-4, 5-2), Fox Chapel (10-4, 4-3), Norwin (8-6, 3-4), Penn-Trafford (6-9, 3-4), Hempfield (4-10, 1-6) and Plum (5-9, 0-7). The top four make the WPIAL playoffs.

Last year, Latrobe, Fox Chapel and Penn Hills all tied for the section title with 12-2 records.

Another tight finish looks to be in the works.

“It's still a great section, not as good as last year, but you know there are no easy games,” Fox Chapel coach Zach Skrinjar said.

Woodland Hills beat Latrobe. The teams play again Friday night at Woodland Hills.

Fox Chapel beat Latrobe. Penn Hills beat Woodland Hills. Penn-Trafford knocked off Fox Chapel.

Hempfield only lost by two against Woodland Hills and six to Penn Hills.

“It's 6A basketball, it continues to get better like that,” Penn-Trafford coach Jim Rocco said. “It becomes a battle, possession by possession. You value the ball more. Every coach in 6A prepares for the unseen and tries to project what might happen. But things can always change.”

Latrobe's upset Tuesday is doubly impressive because the Wildcats played one of their flattest games in years the previous Friday in a 72-45 loss at Fox Chapel.

What a bounce-back for the Wildcats, who have been exceptional at home in recent years.

“Total team effort,” Latrobe coach Brad Wetzel said.

Parsons returns

Greensburg Salem sophomore Dante Parsons scored 13 points Tuesday in his return to the lineup after suffering a seizure during a game Jan. 9.

“It's great to have him back,” Golden Lions coach Craig Mankins said. “He is like his old self.”

Greiser returns

Former Yough boys basketball coach Wayne Greiser made a successful return to Cougar Mountain last week as assistant with Freeport, his alma mater.

Freeport won 79-39, and Ben Beale (21) and Isiah Bauman combined to outscore the Cougars with 41 points.

“There are some great people at Yough that I got to see,” Greiser said. “It will always hold a special place in my heart as they gave me the chance to be a head coach.”

Magic Johnson?

Jeannette's Anthony Johnson is a 6-foot-5 swingman, a strong and athletic guard in a forward's body. At the start of the season, he played recklessly at times as he made the transition from football, a sport he hadn't played since middle school.

But Johnson, with each game, is showing his versatility for the Jayhawks (8-1), ranked No. 3 in the WPIAL and No. 10 in the state in Class 2A. He has become as much a passer and facilitator as he has a scorer.

“He is starting to understand about how teams are playing him,” Jeannette coach Adrian Batts said. “Once he gives it up, he'll get it back and be able to score. He is so strong around the rim.”

Johnson admits he played with less control early in the season. He missed the first few games as he sat out a WPIAL-imposed suspension because it was deemed his transfer from Allderdice last year was athletically motivated.

He had 27 points, nine rebounds and six assists in Tuesday's 77-49 win over Greensburg Central Catholic.

“At first I was just driving into people and I was getting charges and getting into foul trouble,” Johnson said. “I had a lot of people wide open on the wings when they collapse on me. It's an easy kick-out and an easy 3.”

Jeannette is expected to be a strong contender for the WPIAL title, but the Jayhawks believe they still are a work in progress.

“We're getting there,” Johnson said. “But it's going to get scary real soon.”

Paola nears 1,000

Ligonier Valley's Marrek Paola is just a junior, but the 6-foot-5 center is on the verge of scoring his 1,000th career point.

Paola needs just five points to reach the milestone. The Rams play at Saltsburg on Friday night.

There are 22 boys in the school's 1,000-point club, which also includes players from Laurel Valley before the consolidation.

Couch potato

For those wondering why there is a couch located on the gymnasium floor in front of the Penn-Trafford student section, there is a simple explanation.

The couch is for the school's “Fan of the Game” contest. Cheerleaders sell $1 tickets and draw a winner the day of the next four home games.

The winner gets to sit on the couch — with two guests — during the games.

A bonus: the winner gets free pizza delivered to the couch.

Even better: all proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Rescheduled games

Some boys games have been rescheduled from last Friday's winter weather postponements.

• Jeannette will play at Riverview at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10.

• Greensburg Salem plays at Gateway at 2 p.m. Saturday.

• Summit Academy travels to Greensburg Central Catholic at 7:30 on Jan. 31.

• The Jeannette at Leechburg game, postponed twice because of bad weather, will now be at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Greensburg Salem, Jeannette, Penn-Trafford