photo by: Kim North

Union Local’s Laken Vinskovich (22) and Bellaire’s Jaelyn McShan (24) chase a loose ball during Wednesday night’s action inside ‘The Hangar’ on the Union Local schools campus. Looking on are Bellaire’s Liz Mayer (13) and Union Local’s Delaney Butler. The Jets prevailed, 50-20.

MORRISTOWN – When a girls’ basketball team has a pair of 6-footers who are very athletic, that spells trouble for its opponents. Tuesday night was no exception.

Union Local’s ‘Twin Towers’ of senior Laken Vinskovich and junior Ameera Saunders combined for 34 points and 18 rebounds as the Jets (4-0) remained perfect entering Friday night’s Sam Andy Classic against Wheeling Park with a convincing, 50-20, decision over visiting Bellaire (5-2) inside ‘The Hangar’ on the Union Local schools campus.

Union Local and the Patriots square off at 4 o’clock inside WesBanco Arena in the first game of a tripleheader that also includes a pair of boys’ matchups with Brooke and Wheeling Central (6 p.m.) and Morgantown and Wheeling Park (8 p.m.).

“Obviously, we’ll take the win. I thought we played very well defensively, especially the job Delaney (Butler) did on (Tamya) Morgan who can score,” veteran Union Local head coach Lou “Scooter” Tolzda said. ”

Vinskovich scored 20 points, pulled down 12 rebounds, charted six steals, handed out five assists and blocked a pair of shots in a dominating performance in the paint.

“That’s a typical night for Laken,” Tolzda said. “That was a good night for her, but she is more than capable of that. She runs, hustles and works hard around the basket.”

In Bellaire’s defense, it played most of the contest without leading scorer Aubree Hines who was nursing a hip problem. She averages nearly 18 points a game.

“Her hip was bothering her and she tried to give it a go. She tried, came out and then tried to go back in but it was hurting her so we decided to shut her down for the night,” Bellaire head coach John Farrier said. “The other girls are capable, but we just didn’t play a very good game tonight. Obviously, they had a huge hand in that. They are really good defensively and their size in the middle helps.

“We’ve played six games now and I’ve liked our effort in the first five,” Farrier added. “Tonight I was not happy with the way we played. We learn as we go. The season is a process where you have highs and lows. I have faith we’ll come back in our next game and play like we are capable of.”

The Jets snapped a 2-all deadlock early with a 10-0 run and were never threatened as they held a 4-5 advantage after one quarter and led 28-10 at the half as Vinskovich had 16 of her game-high point total.

“The Hines girl getting hurt hurt them, obviously,” Tolzda noted. “But I felt we were in control defensively the entire game. We make it hard for teams to score. We work really hard on our defense, but I’d like to see our offense get better.

“We’ve got to get better at passing and catching the basketball,” he stressed. “It is leading to a lot of our woes, and until we can get that corrected, we’re going to struggle at times offensively.

“I’d give our defensive effort a B tonight, but I’d give our offense a C-minus.

“We’re looking for a big game Friday afternoon in the Sam Andy Classic against Wheeling Park at WesBanco Arena,” Tolzda said. “It won’t be easy and we know it won’t be easy.”

While Vinskovich was stuffing the stat sheet, Saunders netted 14 points and pulled down half-a-dozen rebounds.

Kayla Edgar scored half of Bellaire’s points, while Jaela Phillips led with five rebounds.

Union Local held a 26-16 advantage off the glass and charted seven less turnovers at 22-15.

The Big Reds are next in action at Barnesville.