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 | 缅北禁地
Uniontown鈥檚 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鈥檚 boys basketball team.
Gone are all five starters 鈥� Billy DeShields, Isaiah Melvin, Ray Robinson, Jahmere Richardson and Bryant Grady 鈥� and seven seniors overall from last year鈥檚 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.
鈥淭hey gave everything to this program,鈥� said 19th-year head coach Rob Kezmarsky. 鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 reach our ultimate goal but they played really well and I couldn鈥檛 be prouder of them.
鈥淚鈥檓 more excited for their future than their past. They鈥檙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.鈥�
With such a wealth of talent departing, most would expect a tough year for the Red Raiders. The cupboard is far from bare, however.
鈥淣ow we move on,鈥� said Kezmarsky, who ranks third on Uniontown鈥檚 all-time wins list with a record of 277-131. 鈥淲e have 24 points coming back. That鈥檚 not an excuse, that just a fact. I鈥檓 not going to sit here and say that we鈥檙e going to be one of the top teams and ranked in the WPIAL like we鈥檝e been.
鈥淏ut then again, I鈥檓 also not going to tell you we don鈥檛 have talent. We do. There鈥檚 talent in this gym. More importantly, there are basketball players in this gym who have worked really hard for their chance, and now it鈥檚 here.鈥�
Leading the way is senior Damarr Lewis, one of the team鈥檚 few returning letterman.
鈥淒amarr was our seventh man last year and didn鈥檛 get to play a ton, but now he鈥檚 one of the best seniors around,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淚n fact, I鈥檒l say this: Damarr is one of the most explosive players in Fayette County. He probably grew three inches over the summer. There鈥檚 not many 6-3 players who can play center and point guard.
鈥淭hen we have kids here now who for the past three years didn鈥檛 get much game experience but in practice they worked their butts off, and we have newer kids coming in, too.鈥�
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.
鈥淏rian Sykes is a senior who played JV last year,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been one of our biggest standouts so far, a wonderful kid who鈥檚 our best defensive player and does a great job in the open court.
鈥淏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.
鈥淭hose freshman have potential, too. Time will tell with them but there鈥檚 a chance they might work their way onto the floor.鈥�
Kezmarsky isn鈥檛 used to having down years and isn鈥檛 about to chalk up 2020-21 in that category. He鈥檚 made the playoffs 14 times and has won 10 section titles and 73 percent (168-61) of his section games.
Much of Kezmarsky鈥檚 success has come with longtime assistant coach Warare Gladman by his side.
鈥淲arare and I work great together,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淲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鈥檚 one of the best fundamental coaches around. It鈥檚 great to watch him teach.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been practicing and coaching these kids hard. Their attitude is great. They鈥檙e good kids who want to be successful.鈥�
Kezmarsky anticipates opponents will be circling the Red Raiders like sharks this season.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been pretty dominant in the county and in the section,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here aren鈥檛 many years where we鈥檙e the underdog but teams we鈥檝e been beating the past few years will be coming for us this year. They鈥檙e not going to feel sorry for us.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not backing down from anybody. We鈥檒l show up and play.鈥�
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.
鈥淲e feel we can be competitive with everybody,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not going to lie, it鈥檚 going to be an adjustment for them at this level. They鈥檝e got to grow up fast.
鈥淏ut I keep telling them, 鈥業f you believe in yourselves as much as I believe in you, we鈥檙e going to be OK.'鈥�