Nov 28, 2025 4 min read

Observer-Reporter

Curtis Wade scored a game-high 24 points, including a game-winning three-point basket with 2.4 seconds remaining, giving Belle Vernon a 70-67 win over Ringgold and Leopards head coach Ricky Tyburski his first win in the Mon Valley Shootout on Friday night at West Mifflin.

The game was close throughout. The score was tied 34-34 at halftime and Belle Vernon moved in front 55-50 after three quarters.

Wade’s clutch three-point shot broke another tie, giving Tyburski the win in his first game as the Leopards’ head coach. He replaced Joe Salvino, who retired after last season.

Elijah Majors was the only other Belle Vernon player in double figures with 15 points.

Braylen Lomax led four Ringgold players in double figures with 18 points. David Wachinski followed with 15, Takeo Tolliver had 13 and Dennis Hawkins tossed in 12.

Avella 57, Chartiers-Houston 49

Bryce Wright and Nate Cilia combined for 32 points and Avella used a strong fourth quarter to defeat Chartiers-Houston 57-49 in the first round of the McGuffey tournament.

Avella forged a 22-7 lead at the end of the first quarter, but C-H responded by cutting the Eagles’ advantage to 26-23 at halftime. The score was tied 39-39 after three quarters and Avella won the final stanza, 18-10.

Wright led the Eagles with 17 points and Cilia added 15. Rylan Bell tossed in 10 to give the eagl;es three players in double figures.

Brody McCrerey led C-H in scoring with 11 points.

Frazier 47, McGuffey 43

Frazier held off a furious fourth-quarter rally by McGuffey to edge the Highlanders 47-43 in the McGuffey tournament.

Frazier led 29-9 at halftime and 42-27 after three quarters. McGuffey held a 16-5 scoring edge in the fourth.

Kolby Stewart had a game-high 21 points for Frazier. McGuffey received 19 from Wyatt Frazee.

Girls basketball

Trinity 43, North Allegheny 27

Sutton Williamson tossed in 17 points and Trinity used a suffocating defense to defeat North Allegheny 43-27 at the Tigers’ season-opening tip-off event.

The Hillers never let North Allegheny score double digits in a quarter. Trinity led 16-6 after one quarter, 20-11 at halftime and 28-18 after three quarters. The Hillers finished strong by scoring 15 points over the final eight minutes.

Vitt Emerich also scored in double figures for Trinity with 10 points.

Jefferson-Morgan 51, Ligonier Valley 32

Jefferson-Morgan shutout Ligonier Valley 15-0 in the fourth quarter to pull away for a 51-32 win at the tip-off tournament it hosts.

Ava Wood led the Rockets (1-0) with 14 points and Bailey Cervone scored 12. The Rockets led by one point at halftime, but outscored the Rams 26-8 in the second half.

Ruby Smith had 12 points on four three-pointers for Ligonier Valley (0-1).

Avella 35, Mapletown 32

Dakota McCullough scored a game-high 15 points, including a key basket in the final 15 seconds, as Avella defeated Mapletown 35-32 in the first round of the Eagles’ tip-off tournament.

Avella led by as many as 10 points in the first quarter, but Mapletown trimmed the gap to 20-15 at halftime and was within one point before McCullough’s key basket in the closing seconds.

Bella Greenwood paced the Maples with 13 points.

Avella will play McGuffey in the tournament’s championship game tonight (7:30) and Mapletown will face Burgettstown in the consolation game.

West Greene 59, Beth-Center 21

West Greene outscored Beth-Center by 21 points in the pivotal second quarter and went on to a 59-21 victory in the Jefferson-Morgan tip-off tournament.

West Greene led 14-8 in the first quarter and opened its advantage to 40-13 at halftime.

Sammi Zimmerman led a balanced attack for the Pioneers with 15 points. Kendra Tharp followed with 14 points and Jillissa Yeater tossed in 11.

Violet Trump led B-C’s offense with a game-high 18 points.

Geibel Catholic 71, Carmichaels 16

Emma Larkin poured in 30 points and Geibel Catholic cruised to a 71-16 victory over Carmichaels at the Jefferson-Morgan tip-off tournament.

The Gators led 46-4 at halftime and held Carmichaels to six points through three quarters.

Mallory Clemmer finished with 18 points and Alex Morgan had 10 for Geibel.

Jocelyn Carter led Carmichaels with eight points.

In other games

The Washington boys lost to Deer lakes 59-54 in the opening game of the Armstrong tournament. The McGuffey girls defeated Burgettstown 58-41 in the first game of the Avella tournament. No game details were provided to the Observer-Reporter by press time.