Raiders top AG to share title
YORK RUN – It seems there’s room in Fayette County for two Section 1-AAAA champions. Uniontown proved that with a hard-fought 57-50 victory at Albert Gallatin in front of a noisy packed house on Friday night.
Kishaun Cook scored a game-high 18 points as the Red Raiders avenged an earlier 77-73 loss to the Colonials at Uniontown and earned a share of first place alongside AG.
The Red Raiders improved to 15-6 overall and 10-4 in the section. The Colonials fall to 16-6 and 10-4.
The Red Raiders out-scored Albert Gallatin 14-3 in the final seven minutes of the game to overcome a four-point deficit. Cook tied the game with a tip-in and put Uniontown ahead to stay when he sank a pair of free throws with 5:31 left.
It’s the Red Raiders’ 42nd section title, tops in WPIAL history, and the third straight for Uniontown coach Rob Kezmarsky.
“I couldn’t be more pleased for these kids,” Kezmarsky said. “I’m so lucky and proud to have players who work so hard. They really respect the game. Kishaun showed that at our last practice when he wanted to stay longer and work on some things.”
“The seniors weren’t leaving without being first one more time,” Cook said. “We went over their plays in practice and we did just like we were supposed to in the game, and that’s why we won.”
The loss did nothing to taint a surprisingly stellar season by the Colonials, who already had at least a piece of the section crown locked up heading into the game.
“These guys did a good job this year,” AG coach Dan Andria said. “I’m proud of them. I told them in the locker room that you don’t have to apologize to anyone for 16-6 and a share of the section title. No one expected this team to do that before the season started.”
Andria went on to praise both squads.
“Both of these teams have really competitive, classy gentlemen, and both school districts should be proud to have kids like that represent them,” Andria said. “Uniontown’s kids were gracious when they lost and humble when they won tonight, and that’s the way our kids were.
“And that’s the way it should be.”
Both teams were hampered by injuries. The Red Raiders played without Quindell Dean, who is doubtful for the playoffs with a wrist injury, and Jarrod Lint played sparingly for the Colonials due to a hamstring injury.
Albert Gallatin jumped out to a 9-5 lead before Uniontown responded with a 12-point run to go up 17-9.
Lint hit an NBA-range 3-pointer shortly after entering the game for his only points of the night and T.J. Hall, who led AG with 15 points, sank two free throws to pull AG within 17-14. Cook countered with a three-point play, though, and the Red Raiders led 20-14 after one period.
Uniontown maintained its advantage through the second quarter and led 30-27 at halftime.
Albert Gallatin rallied to take a 45-43 lead in a third quarter that featured three lead changes and four ties
Hall nailed a turnaround jumper to give the Colonials a 47-43 lead, forcing Kezmarsky to call a timeout with 7:08 remaining in the game. The Red Raiders responded with a nine-point run that included Cook’s four key points and was capped by Rodney Turner’s third 3-pointer of the night for a 52-47 advantage.
“We just told them we have to come out and play uptempo, and we put in a 20 (2-2-1 full court) press,” Kezmarsky said.
Andria called a timeout at that point with 4:20 left and Erik Leech came through with a 3-pointer to make it 52-50. It was the Colonials’ only field goal in the final seven minutes, however.
“We got open shots. We just didn’t make any in the fourth quarter,” Andria said.
Stephen Jones, who had 10 points, scored with a rebound to widen the margin to four, and the Red Raiders hit three of five foul shots while flawlessly running their delay game the rest of the way to wrap up the victory.
“I was very happy at the way we handled the ball at the end there,” Kezmarsky said. “Albert Gallatin played hard and they’re a very athletic team. We went to a zone for the first time all year, and we still had trouble with them at times. I thought our outside shooting early in the game was important.”
The Red Raiders hits six treys with three by Turner and one apiece by Zack Sawka, Marc Umbel and Steve Kezmarsky.
Jones followed Cook in the Uniontown scoring column with 10 points.
“I thought Cook played real well, and Jones definitely made a difference,” Andria said. “Those two did a good job for them.”
Nate Turner and Jawaan Alston scored 10 and nine points, respectively, for AG, and Josh Holt drilled two 3-pointers in tallying eight points.
Uniontown is back in action tonight with an 8 p.m. non-section game at Elizabeth-Forward. Albert Gallatin wraps up its regular season with a non-section contest at University High in Morgantown, W. Va., on Monday.
Both teams will find out their playoff scenarios at the WPIAL pairings meeting on Tuesday.