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鈥檚 stifling defense forced an avalanche of turnovers while K鈥橝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鈥� upset attempt in their first meeting, 74-63, in the district semifinals.
鈥淲e鈥檙e excited for this opportunity,鈥� Uniontown coach Rob Kezmarsky said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e playing the defending state champs. I鈥檓 sure they鈥檒l be the overwhelming favorite again but I believe in our kids more than anything. You can see their determination and their attitude.鈥�
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.
鈥溾�漌e needed the time off. This is the best we鈥檝e looked since Florida,鈥� 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.
鈥淵esterday we found out that Tori was a little bit sick but he gutted it out and played,鈥� Kezmarsky said.
Hager hit a corner 3-pointer on Uniontown鈥檚 first possession as the Red Raiders scored the game鈥檚 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.
鈥淚t was a nice win,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 probably the best we鈥檝e run our 20 (full-court) press all year. Our kids deserve so much credit.
鈥淚 watched 13 of Grove City鈥檚 games. They鈥檙e a well-coached team. They play a lot of WPIAL teams. Their coach is a teacher at New Castle so he鈥檚 been around winning programs. They beat a 19-4 Sharon team. They have some really good basketball players.They won their district last year.鈥�
Nathan Greer was the only Eagles player to reach double figures with 10 points.
鈥淲e won our section two years in a row and won a district title last year, something that hadn鈥檛 been done in the Grove City community for 25 years,鈥� Eagles coach Chris Kwolek said. 鈥淲e were happy to be here (in the PIAA tournament) again.
鈥淏ut Uniontown, they鈥檙e on that top level. There鈥檚 a reason they can compete with the Lincoln Parks and the Hamptons and the Avonworths. We wish them the best of luck going forward.鈥�
It was the last game for Grove City seniors Loughry, Gavin Lutz, Jimmy Irani and Kam Martin.
鈥淭hey gave their heart and soul to the program,鈥� Kwolek said. 鈥淭hey鈥檒l leave a long-lasting impact on this program.鈥�
It was the final home game for Uniontown senior starters Braxton, Hager and K鈥橝drian McLee along with seniors Eric Townsend, Nick Torbich and Marcus Hice. All but Torbich scored in the game.
鈥淲e have six seniors that have dedicated their lives to this program for three years,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e all going to be missed in different ways.鈥�
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鈥� home record to a sparkling 20-3 and was their 13th postseason game in that span.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not easy to win 23 games in back-to-back years,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淎nd we鈥檝e played almost a whole season worth of playoff games the last two years. And 20-3 at home, that鈥檚 not too bad.
鈥淚鈥檓 very proud of what they鈥檝e accomplished. And it鈥檚 not over yet.鈥�