Falcons defeat Raiders, remain unbeaten
CONNELLSVILLE – You can bet that both coaches will be reviewing these films with their teams for a couple of days. Showing their players what can happen when you get a big lead and then let the other team grab the momentum for a short while, plus showing them that it takes four full quarters to make a basketball game.
There was a little bit of each in this one, as host Connellsville and Uniontown hooked up in a scorching renewal of the county’s oldest athletic rivalry, with some anxious moments on both sides, before Connellsville pulled away in the fourth to clinch a 74-67 win before a packed house Saturday night.
Many left feeling it was a typical Connellsville and Uniontown game, and it was in most respects, but there were a few anxious moments on both sides before the final buzzer sounded.
Play was close through the first quarter, Connellsville leading 16-14, and into the early moments of the second, before the Falcons ran off a 16-point string to go from one down (17-16) to 15 on top (32-16), and they would never be caught again. Their lead would be cut into in a big way in the third, but the Falcons were out front to stay.
Kevin Bell put Connellsville up for good, 19-17, with a 3-pointer, then fed to Justin Marcinko for a layin, Shane Kovack a three, Bell again from underneath, James Hairston in front, Marcinko a layin (from Bell), and Hairston ended the run, for a 32-17 lead. The Falcons would go on to lead 36-24 at intermission.
With the opening of the second half, the Falcons, now owners of an 11-0 winning streak, picked up where they left off and counted two Hairston goals and Marcinko’s layin (from Bell). Junior Mays hit the first Raider goal of the third, but the Falcons answered with Chad Burton’s rebound goal, Marcinko in front (from Hairston), and Burton a layin for a 48-26 lead, and the Falcons were still up after three, 55-36.
Heading into the fourth, Hairston got two free ones, offset by Brandon Duncan’s 3-pointer. Connellsville counted Marcinko’s basket-foul, Bell’s two free ones, and Hairston’s layin, around two UHS goals by Paul Gmutza, for a 65-43 Connellsville lead.
Now it was Uniontown’s turn to flurry. Mays started it with six free throws. Duncan hit a three, Gmutza with a rebound, Hodge a free one, and Mays two more on the line, cutting the home lead from 22 down to eight, 65-57, as the Falcons called time out with 2:30 left to play.
Uniontown (7-2) would get back within six on a Mays three-pointer (73-67) with under a minute to play, but would get no closer.
Falcon Coach Nick Bosnic said “to be up as many points as we were and then give them the foul shots, that was a big swing for them. Going from 25 up to just eight, and not making your free throws, that is a big point against you. We didn’t get the finish we wanted, but maybe we can learn from the mistakes of this game.
“The kids understood what it took teamwise, and they handled everything Uniontown threw at them. It was a typical Connellsville and Uniontown game, and we toughed it out. Kovack did a fine job setting up the plays for us, plus we spread them out and got some big baskets down the stretch.”
Uniontown Coach Rob Kezmarsky felt his team “showed a lot of character late in the game, but I hope they will take this game now as one to build on and realize that you have to go four full quarters. The second quarter hurt us (10 points). Connellsville played well and we didn’t play offense or defense. It was not Uniontown basketball the way these kids know how to play it.”
Mays led UHS and the game in scoring with 29, including four bonus baskets, Duncan had 12 (three threes), and Gmutza 10. CAHS counted 25 by Hairston, 20 from Marcinko, and Bell 15.
Next up for the Falcons will be the Hampton Tournament Dec. 27-28. Uniontown’s next outing will be Dec. 30 at Laurel Highlands.