Titans rally past Rams to earn season’s first win

In a high-intensity battle at Ringgold High School, West Mifflin secured its first win of the season, outlasting the Rams, 61-57, in a back-and-forth contest that wasn’t decided until the final moments of regulation.

The Titans, who came into the game 0-6, leaned on the leadership of senior guard Daven Reynolds and the breakout performance of freshman forward Julian Dewberry to snap their losing streak.

The game began with West Mifflin dominating the opening minutes, jumping out to a 7-0 lead behind two quick buckets in the post by Dewberry and senior Jerome Corbett’s 3-pointer.

The Titans didn’t let up, extending their lead to 17-5 midway through the first quarter by playing aggressive defense, forcing turnovers, and scoring in transition.

The Rams (2-3) stormed back with an 11-0 run to end the quarter fueled by sophomore Demetri Lowe, who scored eight points in the frame. Ringgold cut the deficit to just one point, ending the opening period down 17-16.

“We started off really slow, and that was honestly the difference in the game,” said Ringgold coach Shane Bertovich. “It was 7-0 off the rip and 14-4, then we got our feet under us. If we hadn’t started out so slow, we would’ve had some fire going early. Our kids played hard, and so did they. It was a back-and-forth game, and I tell my guys, you don’t turn the ball over or you maybe make a shot that you had missed, it can be the difference.”

Ringgold carried their momentum into the second quarter, taking a 25-21 lead halfway through the frame with key contributions from Lowe and junior Xavion Thomas.

West Mifflin’s offense struggled during this stretch, but after a timeout from head coach Hal Minford the Titans responded. A 3-pointer from senior James Rideout cut Ringgold’s lead to 31-28 at halftime. Lowe led all scorers at the break with 14 points and three rebounds, while Reynolds paced the Titans with 10 points.

“We came out hot,” said Minford. “Then we started to get away from what we were doing, which was sharing the ball, and that’s what led to their scoring run in the second quarter. I know our guys are always going to play hard and work every day, and now we’ve proven we can win a close game, so we’re just going to keep rolling with it.”

Ringgold senior Szyair Dungee, who had been limited by foul trouble in the first half, found his rhythm with a 3-pointer and a couple of strong assists in the third. West Mifflin (1-7) kept pace behind steady contributions from Dewberry and Reynolds, setting the stage for a dramatic fourth quarter with Ringgold clinging to a 45-44 lead.

The final period was a showcase of grit and execution.

West Mifflin’s defense intensified, and the Titans capitalized on their oppor- tunities, highlighted by Dewberry’s game-changing block and a fastbreak layup by Reynolds. Reynolds also demonstrated his play-making ability, setting up Corbett for a clutch 3-pointer to give the Titans a 53-51 lead late in the game.

“He puts them together every night,” Minford said of Reynolds, the senior captain. “He gets everyone involved on offense, motivates the guys on defense, gets buckets when we need it, and was able to connect on some clutch free throws down the stretch. That’s a senior — that’s a leader.”

With just over a minute remaining, Dungee hit his third 3-pointer of the half, pulling Ringgold within two points at 56-54. Moments later, after they forced a turnover on the defensive end, sophomore Chris Wilson made a pivotal play, tying the game with an up-and-under move in the post and converting the three-point play to put Ringgold ahead 57-56 with under a minute to go.

West Mifflin answered immediately.

Dewberry, who was dominant all night, sank a jump hook as the Titans took the lead at 58-57.

After a missed floater by Ringgold’s Takeo Tolliver, Reynolds secured the rebound and hit two clutch free throws to extend the Titans’ lead to 60-57 with six seconds left.

“Well, he’s the first one in the gym and the last one to leave, and he’s only a freshman,” Minford said of Dewberry. “He’s still a baby in this league, and he has a lot of growing to do. He understands the game better than most kids his age. He’s a treat to coach because he just goes hard every night, and he came up big for us tonight.”

Reynolds led all scorers with 19 points, while Dewberry posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Jerome Corbett also chipped in 10 points for the Titans.

For the Rams, Lowe ended with 14 points and nine rebounds, while Dungee added 11. Chris Wilson was a force in the paint, recording six points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks.

“We just have to go back to the drawing board and prepare for Bethel Park,” said Bertovich. “I told the guys, ‘Hey, sometimes the ball bounces your way and other times it doesn’t, you just have to keep working. Hard work will pay off eventually.’”