Memorable night: Uniontown clinches section title outright as past teams, players honored
Nights filled with pomp and circumstance provide emotion that may not occur in a regular-season game.
Uniontown鈥檚 AJ Everhart Memorial Gymnasium (the original and current version) has seen its share of emotional nights, and Friday evening provided another one, as the Uniontown 缅北禁地 Hall of Fame honored its four state championship basketball teams, 1000-point scorers and scorekeeper Calvin Winfrey Sr. prior to tip-off.
The festivities honored two current players in Notorious Grooms and Calvin Winfrey III for reaching the 1,000th-point mark, and the senior Winfrey is still doing his job after 30 years.
Following the ceremony, the current Red Raiders had 15 minutes to prepare for playoff-bound Gateway, who wanted nothing more than to hand Uniontown its first setback in Section 1-5A play.
The Gators gave Uniontown a battle, and the game was tied with 5:37 remaining before the Red Raiders pulled away, 75-60, and clinched the section championship outright.
鈥淚t was like a playoff environment tonight,鈥� Uniontown coach Rob Kezmarsky said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 think of a better way to get ready for the playoffs than playing a game like this against a quality, 5A team. It was a nice win for us.
鈥淚t was a big night. The way we handled that ball in the fourth quarter was amazing. We played like senior guards, we made our foul shots and we played great defense. The zone helped us for a time, then we went back to our bread-and-butter, the man-to-man.鈥�
After Gateway (8-4, 10-8) tied the game at 53-53, Grooms made back-to-back 3-pointers for a 59-53 lead. The latter came with the hand of Gators 6-6 center Paul Nnacho in his face.
Grooms scored 19 points on six field goals, including three 3-pointers, and was 4 of 6 from the foul line. Grooms鈥� clutch shot was not anything out of the ordinary from the senior guard.
Uniontown (12-0, 17-3) pushed its advantage to 62-54 on a jumper from Winfrey III, who had a team-high 21 points on eight field goals (one 3-pointer), and 4 of 8 at the foul line.
The Gators were called for a technical foul with 3:14, which sent Isaac Ellsworth to the line. The junior sank both free throws to push the home team鈥檚 lead to 64-54. Ellsworth was 10-for-10 at the free-throw line. He scored 17 points in connecting on three field goals (one 3-pointer).
Gateway got within eight on a basket by Nnacho, but the Gators couldn鈥檛 get any closer.
Nnacho made life tough for the Red Raiders in the post, as he scored a game-high 22 points on 10 field goals, and was 2 for 2 at the line. Teammate Mykel Bruce-McCrommon added 18 points on seven field goals (one 3-pointer) and was 3 of 4 at the foul line.
鈥淗e (Nnacho) is a good player, and he was more of a factor tonight than he was the first time we played them,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淚 thought Ayden (Kiefer) battled him and did a great job with some rebounds, but we didn鈥檛 shoot the ball well early with layups, but they (Gateway) are as good as any 5A team we鈥檙e going to play. No. 12 (Bruce-McCrommon) is an excellent player. He is one of the better players in the section.鈥�
Uniontown had a 7-2 lead halfway through the first quarter, but Gateway wouldn鈥檛 go away, and the Red Raiders held a 17-12 advantage after one.
The Gators outscored the home team, 15-12, in the second quarter, but Ellsworth was 7-of-7 at the foul line to help keep Uniontown in front, and the Red Raiders held a 29-27 halftime lead.
Kelan Milsom may not get as much media attention as his teammates, but the Uniontown senior came up in a big spot during the third quarter after Gateway went up 38-36.
Milsom came back with a three-pointer, and made back-to-back field goals for his own 7-0 run that gave the Red Raiders a 43-38 advantage. Uniontown had a 51-47 lead after three quarters.
Milsom scored 14 points on six field goals (two 3-pointers). He had 10 points in the third period.
鈥淲hat Kelan does for us is amazing,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淗e plays like a 6-5 kid, he scores on offense and he just does so much.鈥�
Uniontown returns to Section 1-5A play on Tuesday at cross-town rival Laurel Highlands (2-10, 5-14). The Red Raiders host Franklin Regional (4-7, 9-12) next Friday to close out the regular season.
鈥淲e have wrapped up the section title, but we want to play well in our last two section games,鈥� Kezmarsky said.