Yellowjackets rally past Uniontown for 56-49 win
Jim Downey | 蘑菇视频
Uniontown蘑菇视频 Christian Perkins (00) is fouled by Freeport蘑菇视频 Cole Charlton as the two battled for control of a rebound in the third quarter of Friday蘑菇视频 WPIAL Class AAA first round basketball playoff game at Uniontown.
Jim Downey | 蘑菇视频
Freeport蘑菇视频 Zach Clark (11) defends as Uniontown蘑菇视频 Notorious Grooms (10) drives to the basket in the third quarter of Friday蘑菇视频 WPIAL Class AAA first round basketball playoff game at Uniontown.
Uniontown's Notorious Grooms (10) dribbles past Freeport's Vinnie Clark (15) at the top of the key in the fourth quarter of Friday's WPIAL Class AAAA first round playoff game at Uniontown.
Uniontown's Bakari Wallace (5) goes to the basket for a layup early in the fourth quarter of Friday's WPIAL Class AAAA first round basketball playoff game at Uniontown.
The Red Raiders' Tanner Uphold (23) has a step on Freeport's Vinnie Clark (15) for a layup in the second quarter of Friday's WPIAL Class AAAA first round basketball playoff game at Uniontown.
Freeport closed the game with a 9-2 run to rally for a 56-49 road victory Friday night in a WPIAL Class AAAA boys basketball first round playoff game at Uniontown.
Freeport (13-9) advances to the quarterfinals to play at third-seeded Belle Vernon (18-3) on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
The game was tied at 47 with less than four minutes remaining when Ben Lane made 1-of-2 free throws to give the Yellowjackets a lead they would not relinquish.
The Yellowjackets鈥� Vincent Clark made 4-of-6 free throws down the stretch to secure the victory. Clark scored a game-high 22 points, half coming in the fourth quarter.
鈥淭he only difference is we have freshman and sophomores and they have juniors and seniors. We knew No. 15 (Vinnie Clark) is a player,鈥� said Uniontown coach Rob Kezmarsky. 鈥淐lark is a senior player. He showed it at the end.鈥�
The Red Raiders entered the fourth quarter with a 40-38 lead and managed to hold the lead through the first half of the final eight minutes. However, the shots, mainly slicing through the lane, stopped falling and Freeport made the most of the dry spell to rally for an 18-9 advantage in the fourth quarter.
鈥淭owards the last four, five minutes, we had a lot of shots in the lane. They just didn鈥檛 go,鈥� said Kezmarsky. 鈥淭hey made a few more shots. Ours were in and out. When you get shots in the lane, you鈥檙e happy with that.
鈥淎nd, they made (their foul shots).鈥�
Kezmarsky added, 鈥淪hots we made in the first three quarters we didn鈥檛 make in the fourth. It was a good game.鈥�
Freeport converted 11-of-18 foul shots, including 8-of-11 in the fourth quarter. Uniontown made 4-of-8 attempts.
Uniontown came out of the gate strong, hitting a pair of early 3-pointers for a 6-2 lead. The home team survived a mini-run from Freeport to steadily pull away for a 16-8 lead after the first quarter.
Calvin Winfrey III hit the opening 3-pointer of the quarter and added a pair of free throws. Tanner Uphold hit a pair of breakaway layups. Notorious Grooms made a 3-pointer and Bakari Wallace sliced through the lane for a bucket.
Uniontown held the lead through the second quarter, but Freeport sliced two points off the deficit for a 27-21 halftime score.
鈥淥ur defense was great the whole time. Everything we did worked. We stopped them. They made a couple more plays than we did,鈥� said Kezmarsky. 鈥淒efensively, we can鈥檛 ask for more.
鈥淚 thought our kids played really well.鈥�
The offenses picked up in the third quarter and the Red Raiders鈥� lead fell to just two points entering the fourth quarter.
Uphold led the Red Raiders with 13 points. Grooms scored 11 and Winfrey finished with nine.
Zach Clark scored 11 points, all in the second half, for Freeport. Jason Kijowski finished with 10.
Uniontown closes the season with an overall record of 14-9.
鈥淔reeport, Deer Lakes, we thought we could compete with them. Not to say we鈥檙e better than them,鈥� said Kezmarsky, adding, 鈥淚t was a tough game. We start two freshmen and I think you saw the future with (sophomore) Kadrian (McLee).鈥�