Murray gone, but Lady Raiders have plenty returning
Uniontown head coach Penny Kezmarsky (standing, far right) and assistant coach Michelle Sevcik (standing, far left) have several key players returning for the 2020-21 season, including Nekea Lewis (5), Jersey Greer (20), Ty Thanh (2), Aziriah Wilson (24), Summer Hawk (21) and Cajmere Johnson (23).
Uniontown girls basketball head coach Penny Kezmarsky (left) and assistant coach Michelle Sevcik both return for their fourth season with the Lady Raiders.
Uniontown sophomore Aziriah Wison shots a layup during a Lady Raiders' practice.
Uniontown sophomore Cajmere Johnson throws a pass during a Lady Raiders practice.
Uniontown freshman Haley Abbott shoots a layup as junior Summer Hawk looks on during a Lady Raiders practice.
Uniontown junior Summer Hawk puts up a shot in a layup drill during a Lady Raiders practice.
Uniontown's 2020-21 girls basketball team poses for a photo.
Penny Kezmarsky had recently wrapped up her third season as Uniontown girls basketball coach when she recalled everything changing.
鈥淚 remember we were at the Big 56 banquet and that was the last day that life was normal,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淚t was the Thursday before everything shut down in March and it鈥檚 been strange ever since.鈥�
While her team missed out on any COVID-19 pandemic repercussions last season it hasn鈥檛 been so lucky heading into the 2020-21 campaign.
鈥淣ot having seen the girls in the summer was odd, with no summer leagues or programs,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淎nd not having the undergrad tournament at Laurel Highlands, that鈥檚 usually a great time because I get to bring the younger girls up and introduce them to the older girls. Missing that was different.鈥�
One thing that鈥檚 similar this year is the Lady Raiders again have one lone senior on the roster. Last year it was Mya Murray, the 缅北禁地 Girls Player of the Year who is now at Brown University. This year it鈥檚 Ty Thanh, who holds a special place in Kezmarsky鈥檚 heart.
鈥淭his is my fourth year so Ty will be the first girl to go through our program all four years,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e were worried we wouldn鈥檛 have a season for her but it looks like she鈥檒l get a senior year, or at least part of one.鈥�
While Murray is a huge piece to replace, Uniontown does have plenty returning lettermen.
鈥淓veryone else is coming back,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淲e only have our one senior so we鈥檙e asking a lot of juniors and sophomores to carry the team this year. We also have a few freshmen coming in so we鈥檝e got some new young bodies.鈥�
The Lady Raiders depended heavily on Murray last year, on and off the court, so Kezmarsky sees other girls accepting the mantle of leadership this season.
鈥淚 notice without Mya here they鈥檙e not as timid,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 almost like they were waiting for her to do and say things, and now they鈥檙e coming into their own and realizing this is their team.鈥�
Kezmarsky noted several underclassmen who are expected to lead the way in 2020-21.
鈥淣ekea Lewis is returning. She鈥檚 a sophomore who鈥檚 a great guard and forward,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淪he can pretty much play anywhere I ask her. She drives the ball to the hoop and can shoot the three.
鈥淪ummer Hawk is returning. She鈥檚 a junior who鈥檚 been a pivotal player since her freshman year. She鈥檚 one of those girls that I threw into the varsity spotlight very early, probably before she might鈥檝e been ready, but she really adapted quickly and has improved tremendously every year.
鈥淐ajmere Johnson didn鈥檛 play all that much last year because of injuries but she鈥檚 showed a lot in the first couple days of practice and with the conditioning we were able to have in October. She鈥檚 a sophomore who鈥檒l be a big for us underneath the hoop.
鈥淛ersey Greer will be another good guard to watch. She鈥檚 also a sophomore. Her 3-point shooting is what we鈥檒l utilize the most and she can handle the ball, too, and can play point guard.鈥�
Aziriah Wilson is a sophomore forward who also is expected to contribute.
Kezmarsky鈥檚 teams have always been known for their strong defense and that hasn鈥檛 change although she would like to see a little more offensive punch.
鈥淲e always focus on defense, and the games that we do win, it鈥檚 because of our defense,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淲e need to come up with some offense, though, to beat some of these teams.
鈥淭his year you can see the confidence in a lot of these sophomores and juniors. They鈥檙e looking to score more and not be so timid. We鈥檙e going to gear the offense up a little and try to get more points on the board.鈥�
Uniontown was 6-16 overall and 4-10 in a very tough Section 3-AAAAA last season.
The Lady Raiders remain in the same section but it has a much different look. Nearby rivals Laurel Highlands and Albert Gallatin are back but gone are Woodland Hills, Oakland Catholic, Penn Hills, Penn-Trafford and Latrobe, replaced by Connellsville, Ringgold, Thomas Jefferson and Trinity.
鈥淲e still have local rivals with LH, AG and Connellsville, so that鈥檚 a good thing,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淲e all know TJ and Trinity will be really good teams as they usually are.
鈥淚t should be interesting to see some of these new teams and get away from all those Pittsburgh schools a little bit. Those were long drives that we won鈥檛 miss.鈥�
Kezmarsky鈥檚 assistant coach will again be Michelle Sevcik. Both have basketball experience. Kezmarsky was a star at Brownsville who played in the Roundball Classic and started at Point Park. Sevcik played at Ringgold. The two have the program on a solid foundation.
Kezmarsky gets a good look at most girls before they reach the Lady Raiders program.
鈥淚 coach the city Uniontown junior high team, too,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淲e run the same thing in our junior high program so a lot of these freshmen and sophomores get to see it before they arrive here.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all on the same page and have some stability in that regard. Now we just want to keep building the program from here.鈥澛�