Jeannette boys team grows up just in time for PIAA upset

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, March 14, 2024 | 6:40 PM

Jeannette has a bright future in boys basketball. That much is clear in a talented rotation oozing with athletes and acumen.

But it looks like a budding crop of underclassmen would prefer to win now, thank you very much.

“These guys compete,” Jayhawks coach Adrian Batts said. “They are young, but they don’t think they’re young. They don’t shy away from the big moment. It’s not too big for them.”

The proof of that was in Wednesday’s shocking upset of rival Greensburg Central Catholic in the PIAA Class 2A second round.

Jeannette (19-9) was nearly flawless in carrying out a tighter, detail-oriented plan as it won 48-46 in overtime to reach the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2018.

Flawless and fearless.

The Jayhawks will play WPIAL third-place team Fort Cherry (22-6) at 1 p.m.on Saturday at AHN Arena in Peters Township.

GCC (24-4) was the WPIAL runner-up and left Norwin stunned. Jeannette lost by 27 and 22 to GCC in two section games that went to the mercy rule.

Conceptually, the plan could work, Jeannette thought. Collectively, it all came together quickly.

“We had to be mentally together,” Jeannette sophomore guard Kymone Brown said. “Coach Batts had us prepared. Whatever (GCC) threw at us, he had us set for it. We were prepared.”

Normally, the Jayhawks like to play man-to-man defense and run with teams. But Batts decided to rein in his wide-eyed guards and play a “junk” defense against GCC. That and patient ball movement in halfcourt sets proved to be the perfect recipe for the team’s biggest win in years.

It was more conservative than usual, but it produced a shocker at Norwin. Junk for joy.

“Junking somebody isn’t something we usually do,” Batts said. “We tried to gain an advantage and build up some rhythm. Central is too good for us (to run with). We had to adjust, and it worked out.”

Instead of a track meet, Jeannette played chess with the Centurions.

Freshman Markus McGowan had a team-high 13 points, under-the-weather Brown added 10 and sophomore Noah Sunder chipped in nine.

The Jayhawks also play sophomores Xavier Odorisio-Farrow and Elijah Jones and freshman Jayce Powell. The guard-oriented rotation has two seniors in Isaiah Mallich and Noah Sanders.

“I have seen (the younger players) grow all season,” said Mallich, who made a key 3-pointer with 30 seconds to play in overtime. “They get better every single game.”

Said Brown: “We’ve all been playing together for so long. We’re house-to-house teammates.”

GCC coach Christian Hyland was impressed with Jeannette’s energy and efficiency.

“This could be what kick-starts it for them,” Hyland said. “It’s big for momentum. They’re going to be good.”

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

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