Roundball Classic provides Allison one final high school game
Rob Kezmarsky should have felt right at home while coaching the Class 5A South boys basketball team in the 2025 Roundball Classic on Saturday even though the game was taking place at North Allegheny High School.
That’s because Kezmarsky had assistant coaches Warare Gladman and Calvin Winfrey Jr. with him along with senior Red Raiders Notorious Grooms, Calvin Winfrey III and Kelan Milsom on his squad.
“When you have really good high school careers you get picked for this game, like Cal, Tori and Kelan,” Kezmarsky said. “I was really happy for Kelan to get that recognition because everyone knows how great Cal and Tori were but Kelan had a great season, too.”
The Roundball Classic also had a slate of games on Sunday and if the Class 2A team needed a lengthy shot at the end of a quarter it had the right player on its roster. That would be West Greene’s Lane Allison, who made an almost full-court heave for a game-winning 3-pointer that handed Chartiers-Houston a shocking defeat and drew national attention this past season.
Allison, Grooms and Winfrey were all 1,000-point scorers.
Kezmarsky is familiar with the Roundball Classic, having played in it himself representing Laurel Highlands in 1990’s preliminary game after leading the state in scoring with a 35.7 points per game average. He scored 19 points and was named his team’s MVP.
“That game was at the Civic Arena,” Kezmarsky recalled. “I still have my Roundball jersey and I remember sitting on the Gateway Clipper with Penny Hardaway. After the game I was interviewed by Bill Hillgrove so that was pretty cool.
“The Roundball has changed over the years but it’s still a nicely run event by (Roundball Classic director) Allen Deep that honors top senior players and it’s a nice way for the kids to end their (high school) career.”
Kezmarsky’s Class 5A South defeated the District 10 team Saturday.
Allison’s Class 2A team played the Class 3A team Sunday.
“It’s pretty cool. There’s only a select amount of players who get to do it every year so it’s an honor to be chosen for a high-level event like this,” Allison said before the game.
Allison was a 1,000-point scorer who helped lead the Pioneers to the playoffs in three of his four years, but the shot heard round the country still resonates with him.
“I look back at a lot of things in my career but my mind always goes back to that full-court shot,” Allsison said. “I can’t ever stop thinking about that one. That will always be in my head.”
The miraculous last-second shot, which came off a short inbounds pass after the Buccaneers had scored to take the lead, handed Chartiers-Houston its only section loss of the season.
Allison will be accompanied at the game by his family and former head coach Jim Romanus, who stepped down after the season.
“He was such a great guy and great coach, I’m not sure any coach could replace him,” Allison said of Romanus.
It will be Allison’s final organized basketball game as he has chosen not to pursue playing basketball in college.
“I’ll be studying sports management at PennWest California,” Allison said.
“As for the game, I’m going to try to have some fun and try to score a little bit, and play some defense, maybe,” Allison said with a laugh.