Basketball Recap: Dre Saunders Leads a Balanced Attack to Beat Bellaire

After having lost a blowout in their previous game against Carrollton, Union Local was happy to have turned things around on Friday. They came out on top against the Bellaire Big Reds by a score of 64-55. That's the second time they've managed to beat them this season, as they also won 62-46 back in December of 2024.

Union Local's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Dre Saunders led the charge by going 10 of 15 on his way to 22 points along with seven assists and five boards. Brody Gregor was another key player, going 5 for 10 on his way to 11 points in addition to seven boards and five assists.

Union Local smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive boards. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Bellaire only pulled down seven offensive rebounds.

Bellaire's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Raekwon Pettigrew, who went 8 of 15 on his way to 20 points and three steals. Pettigrew's evening made it four games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Keegan Davis, who posted 13 points and six rebounds.

Jets

Previous 4 Games (Home)

01/03/25 vs Bellaire	64-55
12/23/24 vs Barnesville	77-34
12/17/24 vs Indian Creek	50-48
12/12/24 vs St. Clairsville	78-63

Union Local pushed their record up to 7-3 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 67.3 points per game. As for Bellaire, they have traveled a rocky road recently having lost four of their last five matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 4-6 record this season.

Union Local didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next contest, a 57-38 loss against Cambridge on the 7th. As for Bellaire, they also wasted no time getting back out on the court and have already played their next game, a 67-53 defeat against St. Clairsville on the 8th.