Uniontown takes on Panthers for spot in state final
Uniontown coach Rob Kezmarsky has heard all season long how bright the future is for his youthful boys basketball team with its one senior starter.
The present has turned out to be quite sparkling as well.
The Red Raiders (23-5) will play WPIAL champion Lincoln Park (28-1) at Charleroi High School tonight at 7 p.m. for a spot in the PIAA Class AAAA championship game.
Uniontown earned that right by upending WPIAL runner-up North Catholic, 55-54, in a state quarterfinal thriller on Friday night thanks to senior Bakari Wallace鈥檚 buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
鈥淓verybody keeps talking about how good we鈥檙e going to be in the next couple years but the opportunity is in front of us right now,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e playing to go to the state championship.
鈥淭here鈥檚 nobody that thought that was possible for us at the beginning of the year and almost no one thought we鈥檇 win this game (vs. North Catholic) after losing to them by 15 points the last time and almost no one thought we鈥檇 beat Berks (Catholic) in the first (state) game.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a credit to these kids and also our great coaching staff.鈥�
This will be Uniontown鈥檚 eighth playoff game. Wallace is happy to close his career on such a successful postseason run.
鈥淲e hadn鈥檛 done that well in the playoffs the last couple years,鈥� Wallace said, 鈥渟o to make it this far my senior year feels really good.鈥�
Wallace and fellow seniors Levi Garner and Taevian Richardson have played a key role for the Red Raiders along with junior starters Jamire Braxton and K鈥橝drian McLee and sophomore starters Notorious Grooms and Calvin Winfrey III.
鈥淭his is such a great group of kids with no selfishness whatsoever,鈥� Kezmarsky said.
Friday鈥檚 victory was one for the ages. North Catholic had broken a 52-52 tie with two free throws by Andrew Maddalon with 2.5 seconds left. McLee inbounded to Winfrey who passed to Wallace who鈥檚 long 3-pointer hit nothing but net.
鈥淭o win a game like that to get to the final four in the state, that鈥檚 crazy,鈥� said Kezmarsky who lauded the support his program has received from the fans and administration after the victory over the Trojans.
鈥淲e have the greatest fans and the players really appreciate it. And then to see Dr. (Charles D.) Machesky, our superintendent, in there handing game balls out is why Uniontown basketball is what it is.鈥�
Uniontown will be making its first state final four appearance since 2002.
Lincoln Park defeated Laurel Highlands, 69-66, to reach the semifinals. The Panthers鈥� lone loss came against WPIAL Class AAAAAA champion Central Catholic, 54-49, in the Ron Galbreath Classic at Westminster College on Jan. 14.