Clairton might hold the edge over Jeannette on the football field, but when it comes to basketball, advantage Jeannette.

The top two teams in Section 1-2A collided for supremacy Tuesday, and it was Jeannette that prevailed.

Returning WPIAL champion and No. 2-ranked Jeannette used a big second quarter to hand the No. 3 Bears their first loss of the season, 57-42.

The Jayhawks have won 10 of the past 11 meetings.

Jeannette (12-1, 7-0) held Clairton without a field goal for more than 10 minutes in the first half, outscoring the Bears, 21-8, and opened up a 27-12 lead at halftime.

The start of the game was delayed because the junior varsity game, won by Jeannette, went into overtime.

But both teams were sloppy in the first quarter. They missed shots and turned the ball over.

“We were ready to go, and the junior varsity game would not end,” Jeannette senior Kymon’e Brown said. “I got a couple quick fouls and had to settle down.”

Brown, who almost orchestrated Jeannette’s upset for Clairton in the WPIAL football playoffs, did not score a point in the first quarter, which saw Jeannette leading 6-4.

But he heated up in the second quarter, scoring 10 of his game-high 22 points.

Brown, Jayce Powell and McAllister Steele hit 3-pointers in the second quarter as Jeannette opened up a 27-6 lead.

Clairton (8-1, 6-1) continued its poor shooting before consecutive 3-pointers by Mike Ruffin gave the Bears life.

Ruffin finished with 12 points, and Taris Wooding scored 10.

“We started slow,” Jeannette coach Adrian Batts said. “We got good shots in the first quarter, but they did not go.

“Both teams played good defense. Waiting always hurts. We had to refocus. Collectively, I feel we have the best guards in the WPIAL. Kymon’e is a leader, and I knew he would take over.”

After Brown picked up the two quick fouls in the first quarter, Batts found a mismatch and switched Brown to that player.

Clairton came out strong in the second half and closed to within 29-19, but a basket by Brown and a 3-pointer by junior Markus McGowan pushed the lead back 36-23.

Clairton could not get Jeannette’s lead under 10 points from there.

McGowan scored 12 of his 15 points in the second half, and Brown scored eight in the final quarter to seal the win.

“We did not shoot well,” Clairton coach Rashawd Hatten said. “Games like this will help us out down the road.

“We are still trying to get our basketball legs under us. We want to be playing our best basketball in February.”