Jan 8, 2019 4 min read

UNIONTOWN – Uniontown jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first 3:28 and never looked back in a 71-43 Section 3-AAAA victory over Ringgold on Tuesday at AJ Everhart Memorial Gymnasium.

Both teams entered the game at 2-0 in the section, but the Red Raiders (6-3) put themselves alone in first place and snapped the Rams’ nine-game winning streak.

“Ringgold is ranked fourth in the WPIAL and we knew they have a good team,” Uniontown coach Rob Kezmarsky said. “We have so much respect for Coach (Phil) Pergola and they have so many good players. We had to protect serve on our home court. Right now we’re 3-0 and that’s an important game for us. Ringgold is only going to get better.”

“I think the big difference was it was a big game, and we haven’t played in big games,” Pergola said. “We did a lot of things that we were able to get away with in our nine-game streak, and getting down 9-0 didn’t help any, but we will improve.”

Uniontown junior Billy DeShields scored a game-high 28 points on nine field goals, including two 3-pointers, and was 8 of 10 at the foul line.

“This game is going to help us towards our race to win the section championship,” DeShields said. “Our goal is to win a section championship and that was a big win, in my eyes, towards our goal of winning the section.

“I think we have more confidence now than at any point in the season. We are sky-high right now, but we have to keep our focus. It’s just on to the next one.”

Teammate Ray Robinson had 11 on four field goals, including two 3-pointers, and was 1 of 1 at the line.

Senior Andre Ash came off the bench to add nine points on four field goals and he was 1 of 3 at the line. Bryant Grady added eight on four field goals.

“It was definitely a total team effort,” Kezmarsky said. “I think the difference in the first half besides Billy (DeShields) and our guard scoring was how well we rebounded the ball.”

Chris Peccon led Ringgold (9-2) in scoring with 13 points on five field goals, including one 3-pointer, and was 2 of 3 at the line. Teammate Demetrius Butler had 11 points on five field goals and was 1 of 1 at the line.

“Our guys know Chris Peccon and these kids from AAU, and they have a lot of respect for them,” Kezmarsky said. “Bubba (Robinson) watches film with our team. They are honest and not afraid to say other kids are good.”

The Red Raiders outscored the Rams, 8-7, the remainder of the first quarter for a 17-7 advantage heading into the second. Butler scored six of his 11 in the first.

Ash, who moved into the district this year, scored six in the first and gives Uniontown a big body underneath, which is something the Red Raiders usually don’t have the luxury of.

“We use Andre (Ash) as a weapon, and that weapon is powerful,” DeShields said. “We may not be as big as some teams, but we always want to crash the boards and get after. It’s all about hustle, heart and desire.”

Uniontown took a commanding 44-17 lead at halftime after outscoring Ringgold, 27-10, in the second. DeShields had 13 points in the period and Robinson added eight.

The Red Raiders scored a large number of baskets on second-chance points.

“They killed us on the boards,” Pergola said. “We worked on that two days in a row. You have to box out and they just killed us. Uniontown’s always been a good rebounding team, no matter if they are 5-8 guards or 6-3 big men, they go to the boards and go hard.”

Uniontown held a 16-11 edge in the third quarter. The Rams outscored the home team, 15-11, in the fourth.

Both return to the court tonight as the Red Raiders host Mount Pleasant (0-2, 2-8) and Ringgold is at McGuffey (4-0, 8-4) in non-section contests that are scheduled to tip-off at 7:30 p.m.

“We play Mount Pleasant in an exhibition game tomorrow and a much-improved Elizabeth Forward team on Friday,” Kezmarsky said. “They are a 100 times better.”

“Last week, I was talking with our coaches and said, ‘Everybody thinks Tuesday’s the biggest game of the year, but I think Wednesday is the biggest game of the year because if we win, can we come off our high and play well, and if we lose, can we bounce back from sulking and play well,'” Pergola said. “We will see what happens tomorrow. We are 9-2, and we haven’t won nine games since I don’t know when so don’t lose any sleep over it, that’s what I told them.”