Red Raiders optimistic despite loss of stellar class
Uniontown head coach Rob Kezmarsky and assistant coach Warare Gladman pose with some of the Red Raiders' top players for the 2020-21 season. Kneeling (from left) are Nate Moody, Bakari Wallace and Josh Curry Jones. Standing (from left) are Gladman, Tanner Uphold, Evan Townsend, Brian Sykes, Damarr Lewis, Christian Perkins and Kezmarsky.
Rob Burchianti | 无毛视频-Standard
Uniontown无毛视频檚 Damarr Lewis (3) attempts to block a shot by Bakari Wallace (5) as Nate Moody looks on during a Red Raiders practice. High school winter sports has been put on hold until at least Jan. 4 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Uniontown coach Rob Kezmarsky (left) keeps a close watch on the action during a Red Raiders practice.
Uniontown's Christian Perkins puts in a shot during practice.
Uniontown coach Rob Kezmarsky talks with his players at the end of a recent practice.
Uniontown's Josh Curry Jones dribbled up court as coach Rob Kezmarsky applauds during a Red Raiders practice.
Uniontown's Evan Townsend dribbles the ball during a Red Raiders practice.
Uniontown's Damarr Lewis puts up a jump shot during a Red Raiders practice.
Uniontown assistant coach Warare Gladman (left) and head coach Rob Kezmarsky guided the Red Raiders to a combined 39-7 record the past two seasons.
The slate has been wiped practically clean for Uniontown无毛视频檚 boys basketball team.
Gone are all five starters 无毛视频� Billy DeShields, Isaiah Melvin, Ray Robinson, Jahmere Richardson and Bryant Grady 无毛视频� and seven seniors overall from last year无毛视频檚 squad that went 20-3, won a second straight section title while stretching its section winning streak to 21 games and completed a three-year run that produced a combined 53-17 record.
无毛视频淭hey gave everything to this program,无毛视频� said 19th-year head coach Rob Kezmarsky. 无毛视频淭hey didn无毛视频檛 reach our ultimate goal but they played really well and I couldn无毛视频檛 be prouder of them.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 more excited for their future than their past. They无毛视频檙e all great kids and now five of them are in college and doing really well. I spent so much time with them and watched them grow up.无毛视频�
With such a wealth of talent departing, most would expect a tough year for the Red Raiders. The cupboard is far from bare, however.
无毛视频淣ow we move on,无毛视频� said Kezmarsky, who ranks third on Uniontown无毛视频檚 all-time wins list with a record of 277-131. 无毛视频淲e have 24 points coming back. That无毛视频檚 not an excuse, that just a fact. I无毛视频檓 not going to sit here and say that we无毛视频檙e going to be one of the top teams and ranked in the WPIAL like we无毛视频檝e been.
无毛视频淏ut then again, I无毛视频檓 also not going to tell you we don无毛视频檛 have talent. We do. There无毛视频檚 talent in this gym. More importantly, there are basketball players in this gym who have worked really hard for their chance, and now it无毛视频檚 here.无毛视频�
Leading the way is senior Damarr Lewis, one of the team无毛视频檚 few returning letterman.
无毛视频淒amarr was our seventh man last year and didn无毛视频檛 get to play a ton, but now he无毛视频檚 one of the best seniors around,无毛视频� Kezmarsky said. 无毛视频淚n fact, I无毛视频檒l say this: Damarr is one of the most explosive players in Fayette County. He probably grew three inches over the summer. There无毛视频檚 not many 6-3 players who can play center and point guard.
无毛视频淭hen we have kids here now who for the past three years didn无毛视频檛 get much game experience but in practice they worked their butts off, and we have newer kids coming in, too.无毛视频�
That group includes seniors Brian Sykes, Nate Moody and Josh Curry Jones, juniors Christian Perkins and Evan Townsend, sophomores Tanner Uphold and Bakari Wallace, and freshmen Jerimiah Hager, Kadrian McLee, Harlan Davis and Eric Townsend.
无毛视频淏rian Sykes is a senior who played JV last year,无毛视频� Kezmarsky said. 无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 been one of our biggest standouts so far, a wonderful kid who无毛视频檚 our best defensive player and does a great job in the open court.
无毛视频淏akari and Tanner are both good shooters who get to the hoop. Christian gives us a really strong inside presence. Evan is a really good 3-point shooter for us. Josh Curry Jones is back from an injury last season and will help at the point, and Nate Moody will be in the mix as well.
无毛视频淭hose freshman have potential, too. Time will tell with them but there无毛视频檚 a chance they might work their way onto the floor.无毛视频�
Kezmarsky isn无毛视频檛 used to having down years and isn无毛视频檛 about to chalk up 2020-21 in that category. He无毛视频檚 made the playoffs 14 times and has won 10 section titles and 73 percent (168-61) of his section games.
Much of Kezmarsky无毛视频檚 success has come with longtime assistant coach Warare Gladman by his side.
无毛视频淲arare and I work great together,无毛视频� Kezmarsky said. 无毛视频淲arare played for Ray Trincia and Rudy Marisa, and he was a college All-American. Having him around is like having two head coaches.聽In my opinion, he无毛视频檚 one of the best fundamental coaches around. It无毛视频檚 great to watch him teach.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檝e been practicing and coaching these kids hard. Their attitude is great. They无毛视频檙e good kids who want to be successful.无毛视频�
Kezmarsky anticipates opponents will be circling the Red Raiders like sharks this season.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檝e been pretty dominant in the county and in the section,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淭here aren无毛视频檛 many years where we无毛视频檙e the underdog but teams we无毛视频檝e been beating the past few years will be coming for us this year. They无毛视频檙e not going to feel sorry for us.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e not backing down from anybody. We无毛视频檒l show up and play.无毛视频�
Uniontown will again be in Section 3-AAAA although the teams have changed somewhat. Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward and South Park are back, Waynesburg Central and Ringgold depart and coming in are Mount Pleasant, Southmoreland and Yough.
无毛视频淲e feel we can be competitive with everybody,无毛视频� Kezmarsky said. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 not going to lie, it无毛视频檚 going to be an adjustment for them at this level. They无毛视频檝e got to grow up fast.
无毛视频淏ut I keep telling them, 无毛视频業f you believe in yourselves as much as I believe in you, we无毛视频檙e going to be OK.'无毛视频�