Red Raiders hold off Ringgold, 65-60
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
Uniontown’s Armani Williams (10) gets by Ringgold’s Anthony Pampena and shoots the ball during Section 4-AAA basketball action Tuesday at Uniontown Area High School.
Ringgold's Octavious Vassar (23) works the ball across while under pressure from Uniontown's Malaky Howard (22) Tuesday during their Section 4-AAA game at Uniontown Area High School.
Uniontown's Connor DeMoss (33) tries to stop Ringgold's Dakota Browning (34) from shooting the ball during Tuesday's Section 4-AAA game at Uniontown Area High School.
Uniontown's Lorenzo Oden (3) goes to the hoop food two points during Tuesday's Section 4-AAA game against Ringgold at Uniontown Area High School.
Ringgold's Anthony Pampena (24) tries to pass the ball past Uniontown's Malaky Howard (22) as he fall to the hardwood Tuesday during their Section 4-AAA game at Uniontown Area High School.
Uniontown celebrated Senior Night with a 65-60 victory over Ringgold in Section 4-AAA boys basketball action at A.J. Everhart Memorial Gymnasium.
The Red Raiders honored four seniors prior to Tuesday’s contest: Phil Mosley, Ben Wilson, Armani Williams and Ariene Washington.
Williams chipped in with 15 points, Mosley had 14 and Wilson five, but also pulled down rebound after rebound against the much larger Rams (3-6, 7-8).
Uniontown’s senior class has enjoyed a record of 46-17 in its last four years of basketball.
“Armani Williams played the game of his life,” Kezmarsky said. “Phil had a good game and Ben controlled the boards. Ariene Washington is dealing with an injury and hasn’t played for us, but we honored him before the game. It was a great win for our seniors.”
The Red Raiders (4-6, 6-9) are still in the hunt for a playoff berth, and played like a team in desperation early in the game.
The Rams’ Dakota Browning, who led all scorers with 17 points, put in the game’s first bucket, but the Raiders responded with an 11-1 run to lead 11-3 early in the first quarter. After Browning’s basket, Mosley made a three-pointer, then Lorenzo Oden scored back-to-back baskets for a 7-3 Uniontown advantage. Oden, who is a junior, led Uniontown in scoring with 16.
“Lorenzo Oden and Mike Jones, who are juniors, had quality minutes for us,” Kezmarsky said.
Browning made one of two from the foul line before Wilson scored inside to put the Raiders up by nine.
“We played one of the best first quarters we have all year long until Ben picked up that second foul,” Kezmarsky said. “When Ben is on the floor, we can play with anybody.”
The Rams showed their character by outscoring the Raiders, 13-7, to close out the quarter trailing by only two at 18-16.
“We left a lot of points on the floor, there is no doubt about that,” Rams coach Phil Pergola said. “It was not just our big guys, but we missed layups, too.”
Ringgold used its inside presence in the third quarter, as Browning and George Martin, who finished with 14 points, dominated down low. The Rams outscored the Raiders, 19-15, in the quarter to lead 35-33 at halftime.
The offense slowed down in the early portions of the third, but Mosley’s 3-pointer opened the scoring to put Uniontown ahead, 36-35. Seth Cooper scored to put the Rams up, 37-36, but the Raiders went on a 6-0 run to lead, 42-37, and appeared to be pulling away, but Ringgold had other plans.
The Rams outscored the Raiders, 9-6, to close the quarter trailing by two at 48-46.
“I believe we are getting better as a team and the guys did a great job fighting back the way they did,” Pergola said. “Uniontown is a very quick team, but I thought our guys did a whole lot better than the first time we played them at our place. We did a better job of handling their press than the first time we played them.”
Ringgold held a 52-51 lead after Anthony Pampena made two free throws, but Uniontown went on a 12-4 run for a 63-56 lead.
Kezmarsky took some advice from one of his assistant coaches in running a four-corner offense as the game was winding down.
“All of the credit for running the four corners goes to my assistant coach, Warare Gladman,” Kezmarsky said. “The kids did a great job of executing the four corners.”
Uniontown travels to West Mifflin on Friday before a make-up game at Belle Vernon on Saturday at 1 p.m. Both games are section battles.
“We have four games left and we feel that we can play with anybody in this league,” Kezmarsky said. “I am very happy for the kids.”
Ringgold hosts Steel Valley on Thursday.
“We still have five section games left,” Pergola said. “We just have to take them one at a time. This is a very wide open section. We will do the best we can to bounce back.”