Alumni funds new Ja 2 sneakers for Jeannette boys to wear in WPIAL championship game

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, February 27, 2025 | 5:56 PM

Jeannette will lace up new basketball sneakers for the WPIAL title game.

Alumni donated money to buy the boys team new Nike shoes for making it to the Class 2A championship game, the Jayhawks’ first appearance in the finals since 2015.

Jeannette (22-2) plays Union (19-6) at 5 p.m. Friday at Petersen Events Center in Oakland.

The donors included Altier Chiropractic, former Jeannette two-sport standout Mike Dent, board member Tim Carney (AHN Hempfield) and Jim Benson of Elliott Federal Credit Union.

The Ja 2 — worn by NBA star Ja Morant — is a low-top design, mostly yellow with an orange Swoosh on each side. Each pair retails for more than $100.

Several donors, including alums, pitched in to buy the Jeannette boys basketball team new shoes for the WPIAL championship game.

Nike Ja-2s for Ja-nnette.@Jhawkathletics@jeannettecsd@TribLiveHSSN @nikebasketball pic.twitter.com/0R0PNWV6OF

— Bill Beckner (@BillBeckner) February 27, 2025

New shoes have become a sort of reward for the Jayhawks.

Former Jeannette star Terrelle Pryor has purchased shoes for the team in the past. He bought Nike Paul George IVs for the team for winning a section title in 2020.

“I think it’s awesome that our alumni and local businesses continue showing support to the athletic teams in our school district,” Jeannette coach and athletic director Adrian Batts said. “The players are so appreciative of the support they receive. I know that this will fuel them. They all know about the opportunity ahead of them and want to live up to the expectations of being a Jeannette Jayhawk.”

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.