Red Raiders edge Warriors in OT, 60-58
Jonathan Guth | 蘑菇视频
Uniontown蘑菇视频 Billy DeShields sets a screen on Elizabeth Forward蘑菇视频 Zachary Boyd for teammate Jahmere Richardson in Friday蘑菇视频 Section 3-AAAA game at Elizabeth Forward High School. The Red Raiders edged the Warriors in overtime, 60-58.
Jonathan Guth | 蘑菇视频
Uniontown蘑菇视频 Ray Robinson fires a pass in Friday蘑菇视频 Section 3-AAAA game at Elizabeth Forward.
Elizabeth Forward's Evan Lewis drives to the basket while being defended by Uniontown's Billy DeShields in Friday's Section 3-AAAA game at Elizabeth Forward High School.
Elizabeth Forward's Zachary Boyd scores on a layup in Friday's Section 3-AAAA game against Uniontown at Elizabeth Forward High School.
Uniontown's Bryant Grady posts up on Elizabeth Forward's Chase Whatton in Friday's Section 3-AAAA game at Elizabeth Forward High School.
Elizabeth Forward's Chase Vaughn drives to the basket while being defended by Uniontown's Isaiah Melvin in Friday's Section 3-AAAA game at Elizabeth Forward High School.
ELIZABETH聽鈥� Many would say that Uniontown had an off night in its 60-58 Section 3-AAAA overtime victory on Friday night at Elizabeth Forward, but Red Raider head coach Rob Kezmarsky was impressed with the Warriors鈥� play.
鈥淚 give EF a lot of credit,鈥� Kezmarsky said. 鈥淭hey won four out of five, beat Ringgold by 18 and lost to Norwin by seven on Wednesday. They are a playoff team. This just goes to show you the character of our game. Our kids kept battling when people probably thought the game was over.鈥�
Uniontown (9-0, 17-2) was coming off a 62-54 setback to cross-town rival Laurel Highlands (6-4, 12-6) on Wednesday and was down 52-49 with 1:45 left in regulation when Isaiah Melvin scored inside and Ray Robinson tied the game with a foul shot with :24.6 remaining.
The Warriors (4-5, 7-12) held for the last shot, but were called for traveling and Billy DeShields鈥� shot from three-quarters across the court didn鈥檛 fall.
Elizabeth Forward started hot in overtime, as Patrick Filson made a shot from behind-the-arc for three of his 14 points, but Bryant Grady scored inside and DeShields鈥� jumper gave the visitors a one-point lead. Robinson hit a three-pointer for a 59-55 advantage before Zachary Boyd came back with a three of his own to cut the deficit to one. Jahmere Richardson made one foul shot for a two-point lead for the Red Raiders and the Warriors missed three shots from the outside in their second-to-last possession, and one as time expired.
鈥淭here were a couple of shots here and there we didn鈥檛 love, but we are playing at a high level of confidence right now, and if one or two of those shots go down, we are looking at a three or four-point lead, then we may be having a different conversation,鈥� Elizabeth Forward coach Matt Loftis said. 鈥淚 trust my guys to knock down those shots, and unfortunately, we didn鈥檛 down the stretch.鈥�
Robinson, who is normally the floor general for Uniontown, had a game-high 16 points on five field goals, including three 3-pointers, and was 3 of 4 from the foul line. DeShields scored 14 points on six field goals (two 3-pointers). Richardson added 12 points on three 3-pointers, one two-point basket and one free throw. Grady had seven points and pulled down 19 rebounds.
鈥淏ryant Grady played a great game, Bubba had a great floor game and Billy was under the weather, but he toughed it out,鈥� Kezmarsky said.
With his 14 points, DeShields has 1,260 points for his career, which is fifth on the Red Raiders鈥� all-time list. He passed Dierre Jenkins on Wednesday against the Mustangs. Jenkins had 1,244 points.
鈥淏illy is a great young man and congratulations to him on moving up the list,鈥� Kezmarsky said.
DeShields was in foul trouble in most of the fourth quarter and overtime.
鈥淏illy is a great player, one of the top players, if not the best player in the section,鈥� Loftis said.
Uniontown had a 15-14 edge after the first quarter and extended its lead at halftime to 33-28 after going on a mini-run of 5-0 to close the second period.
The Red Raiders appeared to take control early in the third, as they opened the second half on another 5-0 run for a 38-28 advantage, but Elizabeth Forward battled back and tied the game at 43 after three. Both scored nine in the fourth period.
鈥淚 think we did a good job of slowing the game down and not getting into a track meet,鈥� Loftis said. 鈥淚 think we got into a track meet at their place, and that is not what we want to do with a team like that.鈥�
The Warriors鈥� Chase Vaughn scored 15 points on five field goals (one 3-pointer) and was 4 of 7 from the foul line. Teammate Zachary Boyd added 10 on four field goals (two 3-pointers).
Uniontown, which has played eight games in the last two weeks, will get a much-needed rest before hosting Waynesburg Central (2-7, 9-11) on Tuesday to close out section play.
Elizabeth Forward, which is looking to overtake Ringgold (4-5, 11-8) for third place in the section standings, closes out its section schedule at Belle Vernon (7-2, 15-5) on Tuesday. Both games are scheduled to tip-off at 7:30 p.m.
鈥淲e have had some wins the second half of the season against Ringgold, South Park and Waynesburg, that kind of boosted us into that last playoff spot, and we have an outside chance of possibly getting the third spot as well,鈥� Loftis said. 鈥淚 think our team is turning the corner in just feeling that we can compete with these upper-echelon teams, and that蘑菇视频 half the battle. I am very proud of my guys.鈥�