Grizzled veterans
Senior duo leads Uniontown to playoff victory
There is no substitute for playoff experience.
Uniontown senior duo Notorious Grooms and Calvin Winfrey III have each played 16 games in the postseason over their high school careers, and they showed it in the Red Raiders鈥� 59-42 victory over Hampton on Tuesday in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball playoffs at AJ Everhart Memorial Gymnasium.
Grooms and Winfrey combined for 46 points, as Uniontown (20-3) took control early in the first quarter thanks to a 12-0 run and didn鈥檛 allow the Talbots (11-12) to get closer than 10 in advancing to the quarterfinals on Friday against Peters Township (16-7). The game will be played at Ringgold High School. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
鈥淭ori and Calvin played like seniors,鈥� Uniontown coach Rob Kezmarsky said. 鈥淚 did watch a little bit of Peters Township. We also played them at the Pitt team camp, and we know they have a really big kid inside, so we have to get ready for that.鈥�
Grooms led the game in scoring with 24 points on eight field goals, including six 3-pointers, and was 2 of 2 at the foul line. Grooms moved within 98 points of tying Terrance Vaughns for the all-time scoring record at Uniontown.
Vaughns leads the way with 1,721, but Grooms is creeping up on him with 1,623.
鈥淲e have been going to the gym countless nights to work on our shooting,鈥� Grooms said. 鈥淲e are praying every night. This is our last year, and we have to do everything right. We have been here in this situation two years in a row, so I think God鈥檚 telling us this is our time.鈥�
Winfrey added 22 on five field goals (one 3-pointer) and was 11 of 11 at the foul line. The Red Raiders were 15 of 15 at the foul line. Winfrey is fifth on the list at 1,370. Uniontown assistant coach Ray Robinson is fourth at 1,403.
鈥淲e have been here before, so we knew what we needed to do tonight,鈥� Winfrey said. 鈥淲e are coming for more on Friday.鈥�
With their win over Hampton, the Red Raiders have assured themselves a spot in the state playoffs regardless of what happens in the WPIAL tournament.
鈥淭his is the toughest game,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淚f you lose this game, the season鈥檚 over. My biggest concern was coming out here, not playing well and losing, and having Tori, Cal, Kelan, and all the other seniors, too, see their careers come to an end at home and not being able to play in the state playoffs. Now, we are in the state playoffs.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the third year in a row we鈥檝e won 20 games. There are not a lot of teams that do that, and we are proud of that, but we have high expectations.鈥�
Grooms and Winfrey did most of the scoring, but unsung hero Kelan Milsom scored 11 points on four field goals (one 3-pointer) and was 2 of 2 at the line. Cam Dugan was the only other Uniontown player in the scoring column, as he converted on a layup in the fourth quarter.
鈥淜elan is there when we need him in every aspect of the game,鈥� Grooms said. 鈥淗e scores, rebounds and makes great passes for assists. He is always there, and I thank him for that.鈥�
The Talbots鈥� used a defensive scheme to keep the ball away from Uniontown sharpshooter Isaac Ellsworth, but Kezmarsky pointed out that junior鈥檚 contributions are more than just scoring.
鈥淎s good as Tori and Calvin are, the other team鈥檚 defense is geared to take Isaac out of the game,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淚saac鈥檚 attitude is better than anybody. When they are not helping on Isaac, you are letting the best guards drive to the hoop uncontested because you鈥檙e staying on Isaac. He is opening up the whole hole for them.鈥�
The Red Raiders carried a 16-4 lead into the second quarter, and after an 11-10 edge in the second period, the home team enjoyed a 27-14 halftime advantage.
Hampton worked to slow the game down, as its first possession was over a minute, but Uniontown stuck to its defense and was able to force a scoreless trip for the visitors before Milsom nailed a three-pointer.
鈥淲e watched a lot of film on them, and we just adjusted on defense,鈥� Grooms said. 鈥淒on鈥檛 overplay your assignment and stay grounded.鈥�
The Red Raiders won the third quarter, 15-13, and the fourth, 17-15.
After the Talbots cut the deficit to 50-40 following Jonas Cupps鈥� three-pointer, Uniontown closed the game on a 9-2 run.
Zack Danner led Hampton in scoring with 16 points on eight field goals. Cupps added 11 on three 3-pointers and a two-point basket.