Bray, Tigers rally to squeeze past Warriors

By Jose negron

jnegron@yourmvi.com

McKeesport overcame first half struggles and a nine-point halftime deficit to rally past Elizabeth Forward, 66-62, in Section 3-4A play Thursday night. 

The Tigers (4-2, 2-1) trailed by as many as 17 in the first half before trimming it down to single digits by halftime. 

Despite being held to just nine points in the first half, Jhayla Bray led the Tigers’ comeback, scoring 20 of her game-high 29 in the second half and finishing with 17 rebounds. 

“She has been doing this for four years and it’s almost like we were standing around waiting for her to give us that spark,” McKeesport head coach Eric Smith said. “Everybody fed off it. 

“She is the spark and our emotional leader before the game and during the game. She’s always positive and encouraging everybody, and that’s what big time players do. I tell her that big-time players step up in big-time spots.” 

The Tigers started strong in the opening 2:30 of the second half, scoring seven straight points – three of which came from Bray – to cut the deficit to 42-40. 

With Bray on the bench, EF (3-3, 2-1) responded with buckets from Abby Bickerton, Brooke Markland and Anna Resnik, pushing the Warriors’ lead to 48-40 with just under three minutes remaining in the frame.

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