Lowery’s put back leads Fillies past Lady Raiders, 43-42
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
Uniontown’s Mya Murray (3) and Laurel Highlands’ Mia Fuller battle for control of a loose ball under the Fillies’ hoop Thursday during Section 3-AAAAA girls basketball action at Laurel Highlands High School.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
Uniontown’s Kelsea Rose (20) attempts to push past Laurel Highlands’ Meg McDonald (24) at Laurel Highlands High School on Thursday.
Uniontown's Kierra Rose (15) maneuvers through Laurel Highlands defenders on her with to the basket in Section 3-AAAAA play at Laurel Highlands High School last season.
Uniontown's Kierra McCargo (24) shoots a free throw for the Lady Red Raiders during their Section 3-AAAAA game against Laurel Highlands Thursday at Laurel Highlands High School.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
Laurel Highlands’ Kylie Miller (5) and Uniontown’s Kierra McCargo (24) were named honorable mention All-Area, while Mya Murray (right) was a first-team selection.
Laurel Highlands' Meg McDonald (24) is chased by Uniontown's Kierra Rose as McDonald tries to drive to the hoop during their Section 3-AAAAA Thursday at at Laurel Highlands High School.
Laurel Highlands got a huge basket from freshman Allison Lowery to edge cross-town rival Uniontown, 43-42, on Thursday night in Section 3-AAAAA girls basketball action at Harold “Horse” Taylor Memorial Gymnasium.
With the Lady Raiders (3-6, 4-12) holding a 42-41 lead with less than 30 seconds to play, the Fillies (2-6, 2-15) missed a shot but Lowery grabbed the offensive rebound and scored on the put back with 19 seconds to play.
“First of all, let’s give credit to Coach (Kenny) Riddell and Laurel Highlands,” Uniontown coach Jason Winfrey said. “I thought they did a good job of taking away some things that we have been successful with in past games. But at the end of the game, you have to come down with that rebound. We also didn’t make free throws.”
Uniontown’s Mya Murray wasn’t able to get her shot to fall but the Lady Raiders got the offensive rebound and a jump ball gave possession to Uniontown for one last shot with two seconds remaining. The shot was blocked and Riddell’s team avenged a 51-35 loss to the Lady Raiders on Jan. 2.
“That’s a good Uniontown basketball team and Jason’s a phenomenal coach,” Riddell said. “They did handle us pretty good the first time, but we feel like we are a better team and that was the best defensive effort we’ve had all season.”
Lowery wasn’t the only freshman on the floor to make an impact as Laurel Highlands’ Taylor Smith started and shared game-high scoring honors with 14 points on six field goals, including two 3-pointers. Teammate Kylie Miller was also in double figures with 13 points on five field goals and was 3-of-6 at the line.
“We went 11 deep on the bench tonight, and when I say it was a total team effort, it really was,” Riddell said. “You always have to keep your head in the game, and the girls know that, and Allison was there tonight.
“Taylor and Allison are both freshman. What an experience for them with that type of stage. Meg (McDonald) is one of our leaders and Gianna Johns played with 100 percent heart. Brooke (Kusniar) got a huge rebound and got that foul, and I knew both those free throws were going in. Kylie Miller had a great game for us.”
Uniontown has its own freshman star in Murray, who had 14 points on four field goals and was 6-of-11 at the line.
“We knew we had to get at her,” Riddell said. “She is a really quick basketball player that can take a rebound and go coast to coast.”
Murray’s teammate, Kierra Rose, also put in 14, on six field goals, and was 2-of-8 at the line.
Turnovers were a problem for both teams as the Fillies gave the ball away 25 times, and the Lady Raiders turned it over 16 times.
“We are still a young team and some of those mistakes are on us, but some are because of them getting after it and playing good defense,” Riddell said.
The first quarter was sluggish on the offensive end with both teams combining for 10 points, but the home team took a 6-4 lead heading into the second.
McDonald didn’t have the game she is used to offensively with six points, but the junior opened up the scoring with a free throw and 3-pointer for a 4-0 lead.
“They kind of held Meg in check, but we had other players step up,” Riddell said. “We needed to get them in foul trouble.”
Uniontown scored on back-to-back baskets by Mylaysia Ellis and Kelsea Rose to tie the game at 4-4 before Smith’s jumper closed the scoring in the quarter for LH.
“We have been stagnant at times on offense,” Winfrey said. “We just didn’t make shots on offense.
“We play good defense for the most part, but I thought tonight we let them get away a couple of times with dribble drives.”
Laurel Highlands outscored the Lady Raiders, 14-10, in the second to take a 20-14 halftime lead.
Uniontown turned up its pressure defense in the third and outscored the Fillies, 17-12, but LH still held a 32-31 lead going into the fourth.
The Lady Raiders tied the game at 25-25 when Kierra Rose scored on a layup off a turnover and Murray gave Uniontown its first lead at 27-25 on a layup.
Laurel Highlands responded and Smith made a 3-pointer for a 28-27 advantage. Kierra Rose and Miller traded baskets before Kelsea Rose scored for a 31-30 Lady Raiders lead.
Kusniar made two free throws to give her team a one-point advantage heading into the final quarter.
“The girls showed a lot of resilience coming back and I can’t praise those girls enough,” Riddell said.
LH went on a 7-3 run to open the fourth for a 39-34 lead but Uniontown kept fighting and cut the lead to 41-39 on a basket by Kierra McCargo. Murray made 1-of-2 at the line to cut the deficit to 41-40 with 43 seconds left before Kierra Rose scored on a layup to give the Lady Raiders a 42-41 lead.
Laurel Highlands travels to first-place Trinity (9-0, 16-1) on Monday for a Section 3-AAAAA game.
“We are still taking it one game at a time,” Riddell said. “Of course, it feels good to defeat our cross-town rival.”
Uniontown’s next game is also against Trinity, but it will be on Thursday at A.J. Everhart Memorial Gymnasium.
“The girls have to learn how to fight through adversity,” Winfrey said. “We’re a young basketball team in ways of fighting through adversity, and tonight, we got rattled and fell apart as a team. When you fell apart as a team, that’s never good and an equation for disaster.”