Uniontown steamrolls Grove City, 67-33, to set up rematch with Lincoln Park
Uniontown fans had one last chance Friday night to see their boys basketball team on their home court this season.
The Red Raiders made sure they gave them another spectacular show.
Uniontown jumped out to a 15-4 lead in the first quarter and went on to steamroll Grove City, 67-33, in a PIAA Class AAAA first-round playoff game at A.J. Everhart Memorial Gymnasium.
Jamire Braxton scored a game-high 19 points to lead a balanced attack for the Red Raiders who also got 11 points apiece from Calvin Winfrey III and Notorious Grooms, and 10 points from Jeremiah Hager.
Defensively, Uniontown无毛视频檚 stifling defense forced an avalanche of turnovers while K无毛视频橝drian McLee swatted away four shots.
The victory sets up a rematch between Uniontown and Lincoln Park, a 73-57 winner over Montour, in the second round of the state tournament 7 p.m. Tuesday at Canon-McMillan.
Lincoln Park, the defending PIAA champion which recently won its second straight WPIAL title, staved off the Red Raiders无毛视频� upset attempt in their first meeting, 74-63, in the district semifinals.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e excited for this opportunity,无毛视频� Uniontown coach Rob Kezmarsky said. 无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e playing the defending state champs. I无毛视频檓 sure they无毛视频檒l be the overwhelming favorite again but I believe in our kids more than anything. You can see their determination and their attitude.无毛视频�
The Red Raiders were coming off a nine-day layoff but showed little rust against the visiting Eagles (16-10), who were the third place team out of District 10.
无毛视频溛廾悠禎We needed the time off. This is the best we无毛视频檝e looked since Florida,无毛视频� said Kezmarsky, whose team swept three games in Orlando in late December after an eight-day layoff.
Uniontown looked dominating even with one of their starters, Grooms, under the weather.
无毛视频淵esterday we found out that Tori was a little bit sick but he gutted it out and played,无毛视频� Kezmarsky said.
Hager hit a corner 3-pointer on Uniontown无毛视频檚 first possession as the Red Raiders scored the game无毛视频檚 first seven points.
Grove City got within 7-4 after consecutive baskets by Brett Loughry but Uniontown reeled off the next 16 points to go up 23-4 before Loughry made two free throws with 4:07 left in the first half.
Six different Red Raiders scored in the second quarter, including eight points by Winfrey, as Uniontown cruised to a 34-15 advantage.
The Red Raiders blew the game wide open by starting the third quarter on a 15-2 run that included 3-pointers by Grooms and Braxton for a 49-17 lead, invoking the mercy rule.
Uniontown led 58-23 after three quarters and Kezmarsky emptied his bench early in the fourth quarter.
无毛视频淚t was a nice win,无毛视频� Kezmarsky said. 无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 probably the best we无毛视频檝e run our 20 (full-court) press all year. Our kids deserve so much credit.
无毛视频淚 watched 13 of Grove City无毛视频檚 games. They无毛视频檙e a well-coached team. They play a lot of WPIAL teams. Their coach is a teacher at New Castle so he无毛视频檚 been around winning programs. They beat a 19-4 Sharon team. They have some really good basketball players.They won their district last year.无毛视频�
Nathan Greer was the only Eagles player to reach double figures with 10 points.
无毛视频淲e won our section two years in a row and won a district title last year, something that hadn无毛视频檛 been done in the Grove City community for 25 years,无毛视频� Eagles coach Chris Kwolek said. 无毛视频淲e were happy to be here (in the PIAA tournament) again.
无毛视频淏ut Uniontown, they无毛视频檙e on that top level. There无毛视频檚 a reason they can compete with the Lincoln Parks and the Hamptons and the Avonworths. We wish them the best of luck going forward.无毛视频�
It was the last game for Grove City seniors Loughry, Gavin Lutz, Jimmy Irani and Kam Martin.
无毛视频淭hey gave their heart and soul to the program,无毛视频� Kwolek said. 无毛视频淭hey无毛视频檒l leave a long-lasting impact on this program.无毛视频�
It was the final home game for Uniontown senior starters Braxton, Hager and K无毛视频橝drian McLee along with seniors Eric Townsend, Nick Torbich and Marcus Hice. All but Torbich scored in the game.
无毛视频淲e have six seniors that have dedicated their lives to this program for three years,无毛视频� Kezmarsky said. 无毛视频淭hey无毛视频檙e all going to be missed in different ways.无毛视频�
The win gives Uniontown 23 wins for the second year in a row as it improved to 23-4 this season after a 23-6 mark in 2022-23. It also upped the Red Raiders无毛视频� home record to a sparkling 20-3 and was their 13th postseason game in that span.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 not easy to win 23 games in back-to-back years,无毛视频� Kezmarsky said. 无毛视频淎nd we无毛视频檝e played almost a whole season worth of playoff games the last two years. And 20-3 at home, that无毛视频檚 not too bad.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 very proud of what they无毛视频檝e accomplished. And it无毛视频檚 not over yet.无毛视频�