Campy’s Pizza holds off pesky Union Cleaners

By jose Negron

jnegron@yourmvi.com

It wasn’t the performance Naz Victoria wanted to see from his team, but a win is a win. 

Campy’s Pizza put an end to a four-game losing streak by outlasting winless Union Cleaners, 69-66, in Mon Valley Independent Summer Basketball League boys division play Thursday night at Marx’s Court Time Sports Center in Elizabeth Township. 

“We have moments when we play good basketball and then I don’t know what happens to them, they fall apart or something,” Victoria said. “I was just unhappy with the dumb plays down the stretch.” 

Campy’s (2-4) held a 15-point lead at 61-46 with 6:41 to go in the game. 

After a one-minute period without any scoring, Union Cleaners (0-6) got on the board again with a deep 3-pointer from Bethel Park’s Logan Wright and a jumper by McKeesport’s Colton Kovach that cut the deficit to 10. 

Those five points kickstarted a huge 15-3 run for Union Cleaners, a spurt that allowed the boys in blue to cut their deficit to 64-61 with 2:17 remaining. 

Wright, who finished with four 3-pointers and 18 points, nailed a pair of treys during the run, while Albert Gallatin’s Nate English hit one of his own. He finished with a game-high 22 points. 

Campy’s Pizza didn’t help its own cause during Union Cleaners’ run either as a few costly turnovers turned a lopsided contest into a close one in a span of three and a half minutes. 

“How does that happen?” Victoria asked. “You start turning the ball over and that’s how it happens. These guys just have to learn how to play together. Hopefully they come out and get it together, but we are not there by any stretch of the imagination.” 

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