Smith’s 30-Point Explosion Leads East Juniata to Thrilling Comeback Victory

udahsweb
2 days ago
2 min read

ELIZABETHVILLE, PA — In a game that was defined by a massive fourth-quarter turnaround, East Juniata rode a career-defining performance from Wrett Smith to overcome a late deficit and defeat Upper Dauphin 42-37 on Monday night.

The Wrett Smith Show

The story of the night was undoubtedly East Juniata’s Wrett Smith. In a game where points were hard to come by for both sides, Smith was unstoppable, accounting for a staggering 30 of his team’s 42 total points.

Smith showcased a complete offensive arsenal, converting eight 2-point field goals and two shots from beyond the arc. Perhaps most importantly, he was clinical at the charity stripe, finishing 8-for-10 on free throws to keep the Tigers within striking distance throughout the contest.

A Tale of Two Halves

For the first three quarters, Upper Dauphin appeared to have the game under control. The Trojans utilized a balanced scoring attack and a stifling defense that held East Juniata to just 19 points through thirty minutes of play. Led by Kaide Heim (15 points, 3 three-pointers), Upper Dauphin entered the final frame with a comfortable 27-19 lead.

However, the fourth quarter belonged entirely to the Tigers.

East Juniata exploded for 23 points in the final eight minutes—surpassing their total scoring output from the previous three quarters combined. While the Tigers found their rhythm, the Trojans' offense stalled, managing only 10 points in the final period as East Juniata completed the 42-37 comeback.

Key Contributors

While Smith handled the bulk of the scoring, the Tigers saw critical contributions from:

Silas Strickhouser: 4 points (2-for-2 from the FT line)
Nathan Carolus: 3 points
Jaiden May & Eric Nipple: 2 points each

For Upper Dauphin, the effort was spread across the roster, but the team struggled at the free-throw line, finishing just 6-for-12 as a unit. Ian Weaver chipped in 5 points, while Chris McClain and Landon Savage added 4 points apiece in the loss.

Box Score Summary