Lady Raiders hold on for 37-26 win over Ringgold
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
The Lady Raiders鈥� Emily Myers drives the lane for a layup in the second quarter of Monday鈥檚 Section 3-AAAAA game against Ringgold at Uniontown. Myers scored the game-winning basket late in the fourth quarter in Uniontown鈥檚 37-36 win.
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
Ringgold鈥檚 Abbey Whaley (42) shoots over the Uniontown defense in the fourth quarter of Monday鈥檚 Section 3-AAAAA game at Uniontown.
Uniontown's Miya Harris (20) dribbles around Ringgold's Angelina Massey (22) in the first quarter of Monday's Section 3-AAAAA game at Uniontown.
Ringgold's Kirra Gerard follows through on a free throw attempt in the fourth quarter of Monday's Section 3-AAAAA game at Uniontown.
Uniontown's Ava Hair (23) gets a hand on a shot by Ringgold's Kirra Gerard in the third quarter of Monday's Section 3-AAAAA game at Uniontown.
Ringgold's Angelina Massey (22) releases a shot after she slipped past Uniontown's Emiy Myers (00) in third quarter of Monday's Section 3-AAAAA game at Uniontown.
Emily Myers鈥� field goal proved to be the deciding points Monday night as the Uniontown girls held on for a 37-36 victory over visiting Ringgold.
Though the calendar hasn鈥檛 reached mid-January quite yet, the Section 3-AAAAA schedule is approaching the halfway point, which was noted by Uniontown coach Penny Kezmarsky. Uniontown improves to 2-2 in the section and 5-5 overall, while the Lady Rams slip to 1-2 in the section and 4-4 overall.
鈥淲e are battling for that third, fourth spot. This week is a big week. Ringgold today and Connellsville Thursday are big,鈥� said Kezmarsky. 鈥淲e have to win at home. It鈥檚 tough to win on the road.鈥�
Ringgold was able to get some shots to fall in the final eight minutes and cut into the 11-point deficit that stood at the opening of the quarter.
The Lady Rams had a couple possessions in the waning moments of the game, but were unable to convert the opportunities. Kirra Gerard sparked the final rally with nine of her game-high 18 points.
鈥淲e had a chance and kind of threw it away at the end,鈥� said Ringgold coach Matt Regula. 鈥淭he defense, especially in that fourth quarter to hold them at five points, allowed us to get back in it.鈥�
Myers scored the Lady Raiders鈥� final two points and that wound up being just enough to secure the victory.
Regula told his squad what needed to be done in the break between the third and fourth quarters.
鈥淭he fourth quarter, it was real simple. I talked to the girls and said we have to play good defense if we want to get back in it,鈥� explained Regula. 鈥�(The defense) helps with the confidence, the mood and the feel. Once you get some stops at the defensive end it carries over (to the offense).
鈥淲e make one more (3-pointer) we win. If we make another free throw, we struggled on them in the first half, we win.鈥�
Ringgold went 3-for-3 from the line in the fourth quarter, but missed all eight attempts in the first three quarters.
鈥淭hey got hot. And, we got frazzled, and didn鈥檛 take care of it on the defensive end,鈥� said Kezmarsky.
The shooting percentage early on was about as cold as the temperature outside the gym with neither team scoring in the first two minutes.
Uniontown finally lit the scoreboard after two minutes, but was unable to take advantage of Ringgold鈥檚 inability to find the bottom of the net for an 8-3 lead after the first quarter. Abbey Whaley hit a 3-pointer for Ringgold鈥檚 only made shot in the first quarter.
鈥淚t was 0-0 for a long time. Our offense tends to go cold for a long time, which is not a good thing. We missed a lot of layups, which kills us,鈥� said Kezmarsky. 鈥淎gainst a team like tonight, we snuck out.鈥�
The offense picked up a little bit in the second quarter with the Lady Raiders carrying a 20-10 lead into halftime.
Ringgold made a run in the middle of the third quarter, but Uniontown answered late for a 12-11 advantage in the third quarter and a 32-21 lead.
Ava Hair led the Lady Raiders with 10 points. Miya Harris scored eight and Summer Hawk added six.
Abbey Whaley scored eight points for Ringgold and Angelina Massey added six.