GAME OF THE WEEK: Laskey pours in 35, but Red Raiders edge Mustangs, 61-57
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Uniontown’s Kam Fitzgerald rolls the ball off his fingers against Laurel Highlands’ Elijah Guynn while teammate Mello Grooms (24) boxes out the Mustangs’ Malik Ramsey during the first quarter of Wednesday’s non-section game in the cross-town rivalry at Harold “Horse” Taylor Memorial Gymnasium.
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Laurel Highlands’ Bryce Laskey was honored prior to tip-off of Wednesday’s non-section game against Uniontown for scoring his 1,000th career point in the Mustangs’ 92-65 victory at Elizabeth Forward on Dec. 12. Laskey was presented with the actual game ball in a display case. The Saint Francis University (Pa.) recruit was joined in the above photo from left by Rick Hauger (Laurel Highlands head coach), Donna Hensh (mother), Laskey, George Laskey (father) and Barry Rosner (Laurel Highlands PA announcer).
Uniontown's Kam Fitzgerald puts up a shot with a hand in his face from Laurel Highlands' Greg Lancaster during the first quarter of Wednesday's non-section game in the cross-town rivalry at Harold "Horse" Taylor Memorial Gymnasium.
Laurel Highlands' Bryce Laskey drives to the basket while being guarded by Uniontown's Trent Uphold during the second quarter of Wednesday's non-section game at Harold "Horse" Taylor Memorial Gymnasium.
Uniontown's Mello Grooms looks for a teammate during Wednesday's non-section game against cross-town rival Laurel Highlands at Harold "Horse" Taylor Memorial Gymnasium. The Mustangs' Elijah Guynn (30) and Malik Ramsey attempt to deflect the pass while teammate Bryce Laskey (1) watches the play develop.
Laurel Highlands' Conner Basinger pushes the ball forward while teammate Bryce Laskey (1) and Uniontown's Mello Grooms chase it down during Wednesday's non-section game in the cross-town rivalry at Harold "Horse" Taylor Memorial Gymnasium.
Uniontown's Trent Uphold jumps while looking to make a pass under pressure from Laurel Highlands' Bryce Laskey (1) and Conner Basinger during Wednesday's non-section at Harold "Horse" Taylor Memorial Gymnasium.
Bryce Laskey did all he could to will Laurel Highlands to a victory, but a strong start and clutch free-throw shooting led Uniontown to a 61-57 non-section victory on Wednesday night in the cross-town rivalry at Harold “Horse” Taylor Memorial Gymnasium in the Herald-Standard Game of the Week.
The Red Raiders snapped a four-game losing streak in the 108th meeting in the rivalry, and hold a 64-44 advantage.
Laskey, a senior and Saint Francis University (Pa.) recruit, was honored prior to tip-off for scoring his 1,000th career point in a game against Elizabeth Forward on Dec. 12. He was presented with the actual game ball in a display case.
Laskey, who came into the game averaging 33.3 points per game, led all scorers with 35 points on 14 field goals, including four 3-pointers, and was 3 for 3 at the foul line. He scored all 19 of the Mustangs’ points in the fourth quarter on seven field goals, including four 3-pointers, and was 1 of 1 at the line.
“Bryce (Laskey) is that type of player,” Laurel Highlands coach Rick Hauger said. “He has a history of rising to the occasion, and he did that tonight, also, but we have to get more of the 50-50 balls. Uniontown got most of those. We have to do the dirty work and get more offensive fouls.”
Uniontown coach Rob Kezmarsky was proud of how Trent Uphold played against Laskey, a player that is headed to a Division I university.
“Trent (Uphold) did such a tremendous job on Bryce (Laskey), who is a Division I player,” Kezmarsky said. “Trent made sure he (Laskey) earned his points.”
The Red Raiders jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first that was broken on a basket by Laskey with 3:37 remaining in the quarter.
“We have been talking about a good start and playing well all four quarters,” Kezmarsky said. “We want to enjoy this, but we have 11 section games to go and we want to start focusing on that. We have some time to rest before we play South Fayette.”
Laurel Highlands (1-1, 3-4) used a rally of its own to tie the game at 9-9 with 55 seconds left, but Uniontown (1-2, 5-5) scored the next four for a 13-9 advantage heading into the second.
“It was early enough, and certainly you don’t want to dig a hole like that,” Hauger said. “That’s probably the earliest I’ve called a timeout in quite some time. We didn’t look right. We didn’t feel right. The thing that concerns me the most is our consistency.
“In my opinion, the best way you become consistent is by being a good defensive and a good rebounding team, and while our initial defense, without looking at the film, wasn’t too bad, our rebounding wasn’t what it needed to be. I thought they got too many put-backs, especially in the first half, and we weren’t crashing the boards. We had really only one guy going hard on the boards, and we should always have three on the boards.”
The Mustangs outscored the Red Raiders, 17-16, in the second for a 29-26 Uniontown lead at halftime.
Laurel Highlands held a 12-11 advantage in the third, but the Red Raiders still led, 40-38, going into the fourth.
Uniontown took its time in getting the perfect shot off in its first possession of the fourth, and it paid off when Uphold nailed a 3-pointer 50 seconds into the quarter for a 43-38 lead.
Uphold had a tough assignment in guarding Laskey, but had a nice game offensively, and was able to get in double figures with 14 points on four field goals, including two 3-pointers, and was 4 of 4 at the line.
Laskey pulled the Mustangs within two at 43-41 with the first of four 3-pointers in the fourth, and after the Raiders’ Billy DeShields scored on a put-back, Laskey cut Laurel Highlands’ deficit to 45-44 with a layup while being fouled and a made free throw.
The Red Raiders’ Kam Fitzgerald put in a layup for a 47-44 lead before Laskey tied the game with a 3-pointer. Fitzgerald led Uniontown in scoring with 17 points on six field goals, including one 3-pointer, and was 4 of 5 at the line.
Laskey’s layup gave the Mustangs a two-point advantage before Mello Grooms basket inside tied the game at 49-49, and prompted Hauger to take a timeout with 2:56 remaining.
Grooms has a tough chore playing inside against much taller and larger players, but the senior made the most of his opportunities with 16 points on seven field goals and was 2 for 2 at the line.
“Mello (Grooms) had an outstanding game, but got in foul trouble,” Kezmarsky said. “Everyone of our seniors contributed. Gio Marian made a big three pointer, and Kam (Fitzgerald) played the way we always does, and we think he is one of the better players in the section.
“I also thought sophomore Billy DeShields made big shots, and another sophomore, Ray Robinson had an outstanding effort. Coach (Warare) Gladman, my assistant, came up with the play of the game. Bryce (Laskey) was getting that ball there, he sent out Ray (Robinson) to double Bryce, and he went into it and got a big steal, so Coach Gladman deserves a lot of credit. We are just happy for our kids.”
Grooms had 12 points in the first half to help his team get out to an early lead.
“It is hard to play against those bigger guys, but I just try to get past them as best as I can,” Grooms said. “We want to prove everyone wrong that thought we couldn’t win this game. We were ready to play and had a great start.
“This gives us a lot of momentum getting back into section play. It was tough going against Bryce (Laskey). We tried to do our best to slow him down, and I think our help defense was key.”
Laskey buried another three for a 52-49 advantage, but Fitzgerald scored while being fouled and converted the free throw to tie things up once again.
The Red Raiders took advantage of being in the bonus and scored their final nine points from the line. Uniontown was 10 of 13 at the line in the fourth, and 13 of 17 overall. Uphold (4-4), Fitzgerald (4-5), DeShields (1-2) and Robinson (1-2) foul shooting in the fourth sealed the deal and sent Red Raider Nation into a frenzy.
“If our kids don’t make our foul shots, it’s a different thing, but they made them, and those are crunch foul shots,” Kezmarsky said. “You have to give credit to Laurel Highlands. They have a good team that is fighting for a section title.”
Laurel Highlands’ Malik Ramsey had nine points on four field goals, including a 3-pointer.
The Mustangs won’t have time to think about it as they play Hempfield (1-2, 3-5) tonight in the Greensburg Salem Tournament at 5 p.m. before a game against Connellsville (2-1, 5-2) on Friday in the same tournament.
“This was the first of four really tough non-section games to get us ready for the section season,” Hauger said. “Against the teams that are athletic, are quick and jump well, we have come up short three or four points against those teams every time. We have to be able to do a little better job executing, but give credit to Uniontown, they played a little bit better than us tonight.”
Kezmarsky was glad for his players to get a win in the cross-town rivalry, but is looking for bigger and better things from his team. The Red Raiders are off until Jan. 5 when they host South Fayette (2-1, 4-2) in Section 3-AAAA play.
“I am really proud of our kids, especially our seniors,” Kezmarsky said. “Our biggest thing at Uniontown isn’t winning rivalry games. It is winning section championships and making the playoffs. I told the guys in the locker room, ‘What are we going to do with this?’ We are happy to win this game, but we don’t want it to define our season.”