Red Raiders hold on for 59-55 win over visiting Avonworth
The Uniontown boys staved off a fourth quarter rally Tuesday night for a 59-55 victory over visiting Avonworth in the WPIAL Class AAAA third-place consolation game.
The victory means the Red Raiders (22-4) will host the third-place team out of District 10 in the opening round of the PIAA playoffs next Friday. Sharon and Grove City play Friday in the District 10 third-place consolation game.
无毛视频淲e wanted to be playing at home next Friday. We无毛视频檇 rather play at home in front of our fans. The kids deserved that,无毛视频� said Uniontown coach Rob Kezmarsky. 无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e going to focus and get ready.无毛视频�
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e excited. Our team plays better with time off. I无毛视频檓 not sure of many things, but If you look at us over the years, we are better rested.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 tired right now. I无毛视频檓 sure our players are. We played our last game last year on March 23. Our kids started playing again the next week. It无毛视频檚 a long season.无毛视频�
The Antelopes (17-9) didn无毛视频檛 go away quietly though, even with top scorer Rowan Carmichael not in uniform. Carmichael scored 32 and 33 points in the first two games of the WPIAL playoffs, but was held to six in last Saturday无毛视频檚 loss to Hampton.
Uniontown held a comfortable 10-point lead, 49-39, heading into the fourth quarter.
无毛视频淲e had a 10-point lead and they made some shots. Carmichael wasn无毛视频檛 out there. We didn无毛视频檛 have K无毛视频橝drian against North Catholic. We knew they had good players,无毛视频� said Kezmarsky.
The Antelopes quickly cut into the deficit, slicing the lead to 49-45 with 6:52 left in the game after Noah Quinn无毛视频檚 3-point play.
Jamire Braxton answered on the Red Raiders无毛视频� next possession with two of his game-high 29 points.
Avonworth无毛视频檚 Anthony Arlia came back with a field goal at 6:05. Arlia finished with 22 points.
Braxton pushed the lead to 53-47 with a pair of foul shots at 5:37.
Matthew Farrah made 1-of-2 foul shots at 3:57 to make the score 53-48, but Braxton converted a pair of foul shots for a 55-48 lead 30 seconds later.
Avonworth sliced the deficit to 57-53 with around a minute remaining when the Uniontown faithful got a scare when Braxton remained on the ground after a scramble under the Avonworth basket.
Braxton left the game and did not return.
Avonworth无毛视频檚 Zac Goldfain cut the score to 58-55 when he found an opening under the basket on an out-of-bounds play with 21 seconds remaining.
Jeremiah Hager gave Uniontown cushion with a foul shot at 14.7 seconds.
The Red Raiders took awhile to get rolling in the first quarter, but closed the opening eight minutes strong for an 18-12 lead.
无毛视频淏oth teams played in the semifinals Saturday and both teams played tough games. It无毛视频檚 very hard emotionally to come back,无毛视频� said Kezmarsky. 无毛视频淭hey are a talented team. Their coach does a nice job. They无毛视频檙e a final four team.无毛视频�
The teams both scored 12 points in the second quarter with Uniontown holding a 30-24 halftime lead. The Red Raiders extended their lead in the third quarter with a 19-15 advantage.
The Red Raiders had to deal with foul trouble Notorious Grooms, K无毛视频橝drian McLee, Calvin Winfrey III, Hager and Braxton in the second and third quarters, but the bench responded with quality minutes.
无毛视频淲e have good basketball players. Kelan (Milsom) is a sixth man. Isaac (Ellsworth) is a sixth man. Eric Townshend gave us some good minutes again,无毛视频� said Kezmarsky, adding, 无毛视频淏ut, when we do get a couple fouls we have to stop getting that bad third foul.无毛视频�
Winfrey scored 12 points and Milsom added 10.