Epps hits 1,000 as Gladiators top Ironmen

By JOSE NEGRON
jnegron@yourmvi.com

Antonio Epps notched a game-high 18 points and reached the 1,000 career-point mark in South Allegheny’s 51-42 victory over Steel Valley in Section 3-3A play Monday.
Epps, who came out firing in the first quarter before struggling from the field in the second and third, had six in the fourth, including the history-making bucket with 2:20 remaining in the game.
“I came into this game realizing I only needed 18, but I wasn’t going to force it to happen,” Epps said. “I knew heading into the fourth quarter that I only needed six points in one quarter, so in my mind I was like, ‘Alright, I gotta make these shots and make free throws.’ I knew I just had to do whatever it took to get it.
“It’s definitely a great feeling because going through high school basketball, you always want to reach that milestone. I owe it all to my coaches and teammates for all their support.”
Epps, a Duquesne football recruit, now becomes the first player to reach the 1,000-point plateau under SA head coach Tony DiCenzo.
“It’s awesome, but I’m not at all surprised,” DiCenzo said. “He has as much if not more success on the football field and it carries over here. His work ethic is above and beyond, and he’s the hardest working kid I’ve every coached. He deserves the success.”
While Antonio Epps led the way for the Gladiators offense, younger brother Bryce overcame a scoreless first half to come up big with 12 key second-half points. The Epps brothers combined to score South Allegheny’s final 15 points in the win.
“Bryce has done that a few times for us in his career where he has struggled a bit in the first half and then I look in the box score and he had 12 or 15 points,” DiCenzo said. “He’s gotta keep shooting and stay confident. I told him that when you’re struggling to knock down perimeter shots, maybe get to the basket, try to find something in transition or get to the free throw line. You just have to see the ball go in the hoop and that will get your confidence back.
“I have confidence that even if he has moments where he struggles or isn’t as consistent, he’s going to figure it out.”
Antonio Epps helped lead SA (2-0, 1-0) to a 16-11 lead after eight minutes of play as he scored eight of his team’s points with three coming off 3-pointers.
It was a much better start for the Gladiators after scoring just five points in the first quarter of a 46-35 nonsection win over Washington Thursday.
“That was a good sign,” DiCenzo said. “That was encouraging to see us come out, make shots early and get out to a lead.”
Both the Gladiators and the Ironmen (0-1, 0-1) struggled to get things going in the second quarter as Steel Valley barely outscored its opponent, 9-8, to trim its deficit to 24-20 at halftime.
The mutual shooting woes for both teams continued into the third quarter as they combined for just seven points in the first five minutes.
Then, with 2:39 remaining in the frame, Bryce Epps hit a 3-pointer for his first points of the contest, kickstarting a 12-2 run that put SA ahead 38-27 heading into the fourth.
“That’s two games in a row where we had spurts where shots go into the basket for us and it helped us extend our lead, but we’re not playing up to our capabilities, especially on the offensive end,” DiCenzo said. “On offense, we really need to tighten it up. We’re down two starters, but we have quality depth guys and we expect in these situations for them to step in and for us to just continue to click and run smoothly.”
Steel Valley cut into its deficit in the fourth behind the play of Jordan Fisher, who scored seven of his team-high 13 points during a 7-2 spurt that made it a six-point game at 40-34.
Bryce Epps, who had the lone bucket during Fisher’s surge, hit a three to push SA’s lead to nine before Tyler Mitchell responded with a trey of his own.
Antonio and Bryce Epps combined to score eight points during a short 8-3 run in which Antonio was able to get point No. 1,000.
Steel Valley converted on a Makhai Valentine bucket with 2:07 remaining before the two teams went scoreless in the final two minutes.
Matt Marrone joined Fisher in double figures for Steel Valley with 10 points, while Ayden Sloss made a big impact for the Gladiators on the boards, finishing with eight points and 12 rebounds.
South Allegheny has quick turnaround as it resumes play today against East Allegheny.

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