Perfect 10: Ellsworth鈥檚 3-point explosion leads Uniontown over TJ
When your first shot attempt ends up resulting in a four-point play, the odds are raised that you are going to have a good game.
Uniontown鈥檚 Isaac Ellsworth had a night from 3-point range that would make NBA sharpshooter Stephen Curry envious, as the junior sank 10 three-pointers in the Red Raiders鈥� 81-65 victory over Thomas Jefferson Tuesday evening in a boy-girl basketball doubleheader at AJ Everhart Memorial Gymnasium.
The Lady Jaguars won the first game over the Lady Raiders.
Ellsworth would finish with a game and career-high 37 points. He converted on one field goal that wasn鈥檛 from behind-the-arc, and was 5 of 5 at the foul line.
鈥淚 have to credit my teammates,鈥� Ellsworth said. 鈥淭ori (Notorious Grooms) and Calvin (Winfrey III) are always looking for me, and as soon as I hit the first few, they kept looking for me in the corner. It was definitely a career-high for me. We will just keep working hard and get ready for the next one.鈥�
Red Raiders coach Rob Kezmarsky knew what Ellsworth was capable of long before Tuesday鈥檚 game. Ellsworth didn鈥檛 start on last year鈥檚 team, but played significant minutes coming off the bench.
鈥淟ast year, Isaac accepted his role and didn鈥檛 say a word, and he is one of the pure three-point shooters in the WPIAL,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淲hen people key in on Tori (Grooms) and Calvin (Winfrey III), he gets the open looks, and they find him.
鈥淚t was a nice win against a very good basketball program, and we have a great relationship with TJ. They have great coaches, and we love their kids.鈥�
The Jaguars (1-2) showed their range from the outside in connecting on seven 3-pointers of their own, but coach Dom DeCicco had to tip his cap to Ellsworth and company.
鈥淗e (Ellsworth) was probably the third guy I was worried about after Grooms and Winfrey, but he had a great game,鈥� DeCicco said.
Thomas Jefferson scored the game鈥檚 first basket, but Ellsworth鈥檚 four-point play and his second three put Uniontown (1-0) ahead 7-2 just over 90 seconds into the game.
The Red Raiders鈥� lead grew to 10-2, and after the Jaguars got within three, the home team finished the period on a 6-0 run for a 22-13 advantage after the first quarter.
Ellsworth scored 13 points in the opening period. Grooms made one 3-pointer and Kelan Milsom had five points, including one from behind-the-arc. Grooms had 18 points and Milsom put in 12. Winfrey III dropped 12, as Uniontown had four of its starting five in double figures.
Thomas Jefferson cut the deficit to 22-19 with 4:30 left in the second quarter, but the Red Raiders went on a 7-0 run to push their lead up to 10 with 3:06 remaining in the period.
Uniontown had a 36-27 advantage at halftime, but the Jaguars continued to fight and pulled within one with 6:07 left in the third quarter, and tied the game two times in the period at 43 and 46, but the Red Raiders outscored the visitors, 18-10, after TJ tied the game at 46 for a 54-46 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
鈥淲e had opportunities and tied the game late in the third quarter, but they hit a couple of threes and pulled away,鈥� DeCicco said. 鈥淲e knew about the kind of runs they could make, and they are ranked No. 1 in the preseason for a reason. They are really, really good, but I think we are going to be OK come January and February.鈥�
Uniontown opened the fourth on a 12-0 run to put the game away, as Ellsworth made his final three-pointer.
鈥淭hey (Thomas Jefferson) are a good team, and when Kelan (Milsom) got in foul trouble, I thought we had good minutes from Anthony Sheffey and Cam Dugan,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淭hose two guys are sophomores, and they were very productive. We are going to keep working to develop the bench.鈥�
The Red Raiders host Belle Vernon (1-2) Friday in non-section play.
The Jaguars were led in scoring by Nick Trklja, who had 17 points. Brady Kraus put in 13 and Justin Fry and Noah Kaszer each had 11.
Thomas Jefferson has been accustomed to not having some of their players ready this time of the year for basketball due to the success of the football program, but DeCicco has dealt with that for years.
鈥淲e have about four football players that had half a practice and I just played them a little bit,鈥� DeCicco said.
Thomas Jefferson 65, Uniontown 14
The Lady Jaguars jumped on top of the Lady Red Raiders early and crushed to victory in a Class 5A Section 4 game to open the doubleheader at Uniontown.
Thomas Jefferson improved to 1-0 in the section and 4-0 overall.
While most teams are still in non-section play, Uniontown (0-1, 0-1) had to open its season against what could be one of the top teams in 5A after playing in 4A for several years.
鈥淎t halftime, I went into the locker room and told them: 鈥榃elcome to 5A basketball,'鈥� Uniontown coach Penny Kezmarsky said. 鈥淲e were in 4A the last two years, but to start the opening game in section play against a team like TJ was pretty tough.
鈥淚t would have been nice to have played some games in a tip-off tournament to build up our confidence. We had trouble with their man-to-man defense.鈥�
The Lady Jaguars had a 23-1 lead after the first quarter and a 44-9 halftime advantage. Thomas Jefferson was led in scoring by Kaylee DeAngelo, who had 14 points. Teammate Maggie Spell chipped in 13.
鈥淢y girls do a fantastic job at buying into what we preach, moving the basketball and getting everyone involved,鈥� Thomas Jefferson coach Matt Gould said. 鈥淚t is kind of strange to play a section game this early in the season, but we were excited to come here and play. I just met Coach K tonight, and she seems like a wonderful lady.鈥�
Freshman Charley Murtha, who led the team in scoring with five points, had a three-pointer. Teammate Disaya Craggette also scored from behind-the-arc.
鈥淚 think they learned a lot of lessons tonight, and I think the freshmen learned tonight that this is not junior high basketball anymore, but we will get back to work and see what we can do as the season moves on,鈥� Kezmarsky said.