Faulkner, Gladiators pummel Wildcats

By JEREMY TEPPER

MVI Sports

Last month, South Allegheny beat East Allegheny, 50-47. As the Gladiators approached their second game against the Wildcats on Friday, that first one weighed on their minds.

Yes, the Gladiators were missing two starters in Omar Faulkner and Ethan Kirkwood. But this time around, South Allegheny wanted to win this one easier.

The Gladiators (9-2, 7-0) accomplished that mission with flying colors, dismantling East Allegheny, 63-25, behind 16 points from Omar Faulkner and 14 from Bryce Epps.

“Last time I thought we should’ve beat them worse than we did,” Epps said. “This time we came out with more focus, more intensity, more energy and that’s what carried us through this game.”

The Gladiators jumped on the Wildcats (1-9, 1-8) early, playing with substantial energy and flow. 

Dillion Hines hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give them a 17-6 lead after a quarter. The buzzer beater portended a dominant second quarter in which South Allegheny outscored East Allegheny, 22-7, and extended its lead to 39-13. 

Gladiators coach Tony DiCenzo said his team’s second quarter focus was on getting the ball inside to Faulkner, their dominant center. Faulkner scored nine points in the quarter and had 12 at halftime. On both ends, he controlled the paint.

“One advantage we had was inside. I thought our guys did a nice job,” DiCenzo said. “Sometimes we get too reliant on the outside shot and we did a nice job of showing patience and throwing the ball inside to Faulkner and he carried us in the first half for sure.”

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