Elite PT tops Union Cleaners to remain tied for first

By JOSE NEGRON

jnegron@yourmvi.com

Elite Physical Therapy remained one of two teams atop the Mon Valley Independent Summer Basketball League standings as they outlasted Union Cleaners, 59-52, Thursday night at Marx’s Court Time Sports Center. 

EPT (4-2), which now sits tied for the division lead with BeeGraphix, took the lead for good with 1:14 left in the second half as Steel Valley’s Makhai Valentine scored on a floater to make it 52-51. 

Elite Physical Therapy pushed its lead to two as McKeesport’s Phenon Marion went 1 for 2 from the free throw line. On his miss, however, South Allegheny’s Bryce Epps corralled a key offensive rebound before being fouled. Epps hit four free throws over the next 16 seconds and Valentine added a pair to help EPT avenge a season-opening loss to Union Cleaners (3-3). 

“It was a good team effort tonight,” EPT head coach Vada Epps said. “We’re 4-2 now, which is nice. This is a good confidence booster, too, because we have to win the games we have to win.” 

Bryce Epps was the big difference for EPT, especially in the second half. He finished with a game-high 30 points and scored 19 of them in the final 16 minutes. 

“He really took over when we needed him to,” Vada Epps said. “Sometimes he feels like he has to do too much, but at the same time, scoring is not the only part of basketball. A game with 20 assists and two points is just as good. He’s done a good job of being a coach on the floor, which is what I need, but we know he can take over a game as well.” 

To read the rest of the story, please see a copy of Friday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at http://monvalleyindependent.com.