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Erie steals sweep from Uniontown
By Scott Nuzum
Herald-Tribune
ERIE, Kan. -- Both of Uniontown's basketball teams had trouble keeping possession of the ball in a non-league doubleheader Friday night, allowing host Erie to post a sweep.
Erie's girls won the opener, 55-40, to remain undefeated on the season while Red Devil boys took the nightcap, 71-44.
The theme of the night was established early on as Uniontown's girls (3-3) turned the ball over four times in the first minute of the contest. Erie led 6-0 two minutes into the game but the Eagles got things together long enough to crawl back within 11-10 by the end of the quarter.
Erie (6-0) started the second quarter off with an 8-0 run as the Eagles continued to struggle against the Devils' press. Uniontown didn't get on the board until Riley Stephens took a steal in for a layup with 3:36 left in the half.
Erie led 25-17 at the half. The Red Devils began to pull away midway through the third when they went on a 19-1 run. Kendra Mattox scored six of her 10 points during the spree, which wasn't broken until Abbie Smith scored on a layup with 32 seconds to go. It was 47-25 in Erie's favor after three.
The turnover margin was deceptively close. Uniontown committed 24 to Erie's 22 but the Eagles also had problems in execution even when they did get the ball past the press.
Danielle Hall also scored 10 points to tie for the team scoring lead for Erie. Smith and Kylie Shepard tied for high point for Uniontown as they also had 10 points each.
The Eagles shot 35 percent from the field, making 15 of 42 field-goal attempts, but went just 10 of 21 at the free-throw line. Erie was 20 of 54 from the floor for 37 percent and 14 of 29 at the charity stripe.
Erie's slight height advantage was enough to give it a 47-31 rebounding margin. The Devils have three players, including Mattox, who are 5-11 while Uniontown only has one (Smith) taller than 5-9. Jayme Shank led the Eagles with 10 boards.
Shepard dished three of Uniontown's eight assists. Carissa Fink picked up four of the Eagles' 14 steals.
The boys' contest started out on much the same note as Uniontown (2-4) struggled with early turnovers. But the boys kept things close early, holding a 7-6 lead with 2:46 to go in the first period. But Garet Nally scored the final four points of the period to give the Red Devils the lead going into the second.
Erie (5-1) led 22-15 with 2:50 left in the first half but Dominick Robinson came off the bench to give Uniontown a spark. He scored two layups in a 6-0 run that cut the deficit to one with 1:07 to go.
Aaron Staggs scored an "old-fashioned" three-point play for Erie and Kyle Buntin scored a layup for the Devils despite losing one of his shoes on the play to boost the margin to 27-21 going into the half.
Erie committed just two turnovers in the first half, both of those in the first quarter, while Uniontown coughed up the ball 10 times. As if that wasn't enough, the Eagles could only watch as nothing could go wrong for the Red Devils in the third period.
Erie started the half with a 14-1 run and eventually led 44-25 with 1:20 left after hitting each of its first seven field-goal attempts of the third period. The Devils also scored eight of the first 10 of the fourth quarter.
The Devils connected on 19 of 28 field-goal attempts in the second half while Uniontown went just seven of 17 from the floor. Overall, Erie made 30 of 53 fielders for 57 percent. Uniontown was 17 of 39 for 44 percent.
Hays led the Eagles with 19 points. Nally paced Erie with 18 as he connected on eight of 11 shots from the field. Nick Greve added 13 points for the Devils while Staggs cored 11 and Buntin finished with 10.
Uniontown turned the ball over 23 times on the night. Erie had just nine turnovers.
Silas Bloesser led the Eagles in rebounds with eight. Erie won the battle of the boards, 28-26.
Uniontown will host Oswego in a Three Rivers League doubleheader Tuesday night.