Jeannette slams Jefferson-Morgan to move into PIAA Class 2A quarterfinals

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, March 11, 2026 | 10:29 PM

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Kymon’e Brown believes he can fly.

“I felt like something special was going to happen tonight,” the Jeannette point guard said.

On the last play of the second quarter, something did.

Brown showed his vertical athleticism when he dashed down the lane, elevated like he was on a forklift and tip-dunked a missed layup, sending the Jeannette-heavy crowd, and his team’s bench, into a frenzy.

The play was symbolic of what the Jayhawks did to Jefferson-Morgan in a 68-36 rout in the PIAA Class 2A boys basketball second round Wednesday night at Peters Township’s AHN Arena.

“That took everything out of them,” Brown said. “These rims here are different. They bend more than ours do at home.”

Here's Kymon'e Brown's tip-dunk at the end of the first half.

This is definitely going to make the year-end highlights.

Heck, it might belong on SportsCenter. Look at the vertical.@Jhawkathletics @KymoneBrown @TribLiveHSSN @PIAASports

Credit: Heidi Morelli Walters, NFHS pic.twitter.com/RG0LHld7A9

— Bill Beckner (@BillBeckner) March 12, 2026

Markus McGowan scored 26 points for the second straight game, connecting on four 3-pointers as the Jayhawks (24-2) advanced to the state quarterfinals for the second consecutive year.

The WPIAL runners-up, who have back-to-back mercy-rule wins in the state tournament, will play Mercyhurst Prep (21-6) on Saturday at a time and site to be announced.

District 10 champion Mercyhurst Prep edged Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 46-45, in overtime. Jeannette beat Mercyhurst Prep in the first round last year, 61-54.

Jefferson-Morgan, the WPIAL’s sixth-place finisher, ended one of its best seasons at 24-4.

The Rockets had only been in the state tournament one other time, reaching the second round in 2000.

Jeannette was playing on a different level as it continues to chase its first PIAA title in 18 years.

“The effort and energy from our guys was there from the start tonight,” Jeannette coach Adrian Batts said. “All five guys were defending and rebounding. Markus came out on fire.”

Jeannette coaches wore T-shirts that said “Lock It In” on the front. The Jayhawks locked in defensively from the tip and led 23-4 in the first quarter before stretching the advantage to 40-11 at the half.

Jeannette walloped Northern Cambria in the first round last weekend, 72-34.

“Defense was the main thing,” Brown said. “We attacked them early and took away their (scoring).”

McGowan hit three 3s and scored 13 during the team’s 23-point first quarter.

“He works on his game, and it shows,” Brown said. “When he is on like that, we feed him the ball.”

Brown, McGowan and Jayce Powell all hit 3s in the second quarter when the Jayhawks outscored the Rockets 17-4.

McGowan and Noah Sunder each had six in the third. Xavier Odorisio-Farrow’s layup made it 46-15 and kick-started the mercy rule early in the quarter.

The lead reached 36 at 58-22 on back-to-back baskets by Sunder.

Odorisio-Farrow had 13 points and Powell chipped in 10.

Brown finished with seven.

Jeremiah Robinson scored eight of his team-high 15 in the fourth as the Rockets closed the gap slightly to 58-34.

Odorisio-Farrow’s three-point play and Powell’s layup pushed the margin back to 30.

“We got the game into transition and that hurt (Jefferson-Morgan),” Batts said. “Our guys did everything we talked about: defense, rebounding and taking care of the ball. We stuck to our defensive principles.”

John Woodward added 11 points for Jefferson-Morgan.

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

Tags: Jeannette