Jeannette boys start season with dominant win
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Friday, November 28, 2025 | 8:02 PM
Jeannette’s Kymon’e Brown is fouled by Indiana’s Will Olsen on Friday at Greater Latrobe High School.
Jeannette’s Markus McGowan scores over Indiana’s Darius Webb on Friday at Greater Latrobe High School.
Jeannette’s Markus McGowan drives past Indiana’s Drew Brocious to score Friday at Greater Latrobe High School.
Jeannette’s Xavier Odorisio-Farrow scores over Indiana’s Darius Webb on Friday at Greater Latrobe High School.
Indiana’s Aaron Webb dunks over Jeannette’s Markus McGowan on Friday at Greater Latrobe High School.
Jeannette’s Kymon’e Brown scores over Indiana’s Will Olsen on Friday at Greater Latrobe High School.
Jeannette’s Jayce Powell scores over Indiana’s Tai Allison on Friday at Greater Latrobe High School.
Jeannette’s Markus McGowan scores over Indiana’s Darius Webb on Friday at Greater Latrobe High School.
Indiana’s Darius Webb blocks the shot of Jeannette’s Noah Sunder on Friday.
Jeannette’s Kymon’e Brown is fouled by Indiana’s Maddox Sevajian on Friday at Greater Latrobe High School.
Jeannette trailed Indiana by four points after a sticky first quarter in its season opener.
But then the Jayhawks found an extra gear — like the one that propelled them to a WPIAL 2A championship last season — and it was game over.
Jeannette clamped down defensively and kicked up the tempo on the offensive end to rip past Indiana, 78-53, in the Latrobe Wildcat Tip-Off Tournament on Friday night at Latrobe.
The Jayhawks (1-0), who trailed 21-17 after the opening eight minutes, outscored the Indians (0-1), 29-5, in the second to take a commanding 46-26 lead into halftime.
“We picked up where we left off,” Jeannette guard Markus McGowan said. “We lost to GCC (in the PIAA playoffs), and we wanted to get back and play again. We took last year very personal. We want to make another run, go back-to-back and win states. Starting off well in these little tournaments is a good way to start.”
Five players, four of whom reached double figures, accounted for Jeannette’s point total.
McGowan led the Jayhawks with 20 points, Kymon’e Brown added 19, Noah Sunder 16 and Jayce Powell 14 as Class 2A Jeannette opened its title defense in impressive fashion against the 5A Indians and standout Aaron Webb, a 6-foot-8 Division I prospect.
Webb finished with 26 points to lead all scorers but had to work for his points. He was limited as a rebounder.
“I thought we wore him down in the first half,” Jeannette coach Adrian Batts said. “Kymon’e made him work, and we did some good things. You have to play good defense, rebound and take care of the ball. We did those things.”
Batts said he wants the Jayhawks to allow no more than 39 points a game, so he could nitpick in that area.
But that was about as far as the critique could fairly go in the first game of the year.
It was all Jeannette once it dictated the pace.
A 15-0 scoring run powered by McGowan and Powell was pivotal for the Jayhawks. After Darius Webb tied it 23-23 early in the second quarter, McGowan hit a 3-pointer, and Powell scored six straight points.
After McGowan finished on a break and Powell made a mid-range jumper, it suddenly was a 38-23 score.
Brown connected on a 3 before Sunder, who continually earned space in the paint along with teammate Xavier Odorisio-Farrow, finished a three-point play just before halftime.
“For us, it’s about finding the hot hand,” McGowan said, “finding the mismatch.”
Batts said Sunder’s involvement is a key component to another run. His role can’t be overstated: “If Noah can give us 16 a game, we’re state champions. Even 12 a night is huge.”
Odorisio-Farrow added nine points for Jeannette.
Powell and Sunder helped Jeannette stretch the lead to 56-28 in the third. Seven straight points from McGowan made it a 26-point lead after three.
Indiana fell victim to the mercy rule early in the fourth as Jeannette put reserves into the game.
“This is a whole new season,” Batts said. “What we did last March is in the past. We’re ranked No. 2 (behind Sewickley Academy). There is no pressure on us. We’re trying to get better every possession, every quarter, every game.”
Will Olsen had 13 points for Indiana.
Jeannette plays Windber at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Quaker Valley beat Windber, 52-17, on Friday.
Quaker Valley plays Richland at 1 p.m., and Latrobe plays Indiana at 3.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
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