Harvest Baptist’s Sidwell reaches 1,000-point milestone

By: Michael Love
Wednesday, February 5, 2020 | 6:27 PM

Jared Sidwell is the leading scorer for the Harvest Baptist Academy boys basketball team.

The senior at the Natrona Heights-based school surpassed a scoring milestone in a home victory over Latrobe’s Bible Baptist on Jan. 23.

Needing seven points to reach 1,000 for his varsity career, Sidwell, a 6-foot-1 guard, tallied those points quickly as he reached the mark with a transition layup just three minutes into the game.

“It was definitely nice to do it at home,” said Sidwell, who averages nearly 20 points. “That’s what I would’ve hoped and dreamed, to do it in front of a home crowd. It was a great feeling.”

Sidwell, who lives in Washington Township, played three varsity seasons at Evangel Heights Christian Academy in Sarver before the school closed last spring.

His point-total records from his freshman year weren’t available, so his march to 1,000 points began two years ago as a sophomore.

Sidwell, who also averages 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists, has helped Harvest Baptist to a 5-1 record in the Southwest Christian Athletic Conference.

The team returns to action Thursday evening with a SWCAC game against the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf.

The league playoffs are scheduled to begin Feb. 17.

Sidwell plans to play in college and will join the men’s team at Penn State-New Kensington.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.