Menu
Southern Coffey County holds off late charge from Uniontown's boys
By Scott Nuzum
Herald-Tribune
UNIONTOWN, Kan. -- Uniontown's boys may not have had any business coming back to give Southern Coffey County a late scare in Three Rivers League play before falling 79-62 here Friday night.
The Eagles, with Chad Hays on the bench most of the night in foul trouble, trailed by 17 points at the half and went into the fourth quarter still down by 15. But they scrapped back and narrowed the deficit to less than 10 three times before the Titans pulled away at the free-throw line.
Uniontown fell to 0-2 in the TRL and 3-5 overall with its third straight loss. The Eagles play Prairie View Tuesday night at 8:30 in the first round of the Pleasanton Mid-Season Tournament.
Jesse Johnston's free throws with 4:57 left in the game cut the deficit to 59-50. It was the first time Uniontown had been within 10 points in nearly 17 minutes of play.
The Titans (1-2, 3-5) saw Beau Beyer convert an "old-fashioned" three-point play with 4:36 to go. But the Eagles scored six in a row to get within 62-56 with 2:40 remaining.
SCCHS scored seven of the next nine and were up 11 with 1:39 to go. Kirk Camac made one of two free throws for the Eagles and Gage McKinnis hit a three-pointer from the right wing with 1:04 left to bring Uniontown within 69-62.
But Southern Coffey was able to get to the free-throw line as Dane Birk, who converted on 11 of 16 charity tosses as he finished with 26 points to lead all scorers, made six of eight in the final 57 seconds. John Kraft capped the scoring for the night with a field goal with less than 30 seconds to go.
The Titans made 29 of 44 freebies as a team as Uniontown was called for 31 fouls. SCCHS was whistled for 23 itself as four players fouled out and two technicals were called. The Eagles were 14 of 21 at the free-throw line.
Both teams shot 40 percent from the field. Uniontown made 21 of 53 field-goal tries while SCCHS converted on 22 of 55.
Johnston and Camac each scored 11 points for Uniontown while Hays and David Swan each added 10. Matt Harmon had 16 points for Southern Coffey County while Trent Freeman finished with 12.
Uniontown outrebounded SCCHS, 40-38. Johnston hauled down nine boards while Cory Warren grabbed eight and Hays had seven boards despite his limited playing time.
The Eagles turned the ball over 23 times to the Titans' 15. But Uniontown committed just two miscues in the fourth quarter as it tried to rally.
Uniontown was hanging on early in the game as Bailey Shepard's three-pointer, his only basket of the night, tied the game at 10-10 with 2:21 to go in the opening period.
SCCHS scored the next nine points, going up by nine less than 30 seconds into the second quarter. A 14-3 run later in the period boosted the Titans' lead to 35-18 with 2:43 remaining.
SCCHS led 39-22 at the half. But Hays scored the first four points of the second half before he drew his fourth foul with 6:30 to go. Without him in the game, the Eagles were able to at least trade baskets the rest of the way and keep the deficit from getting larger.
Uniontown won the junior varsity contest, 54-24, over SCCHS as Dominick Robinson scored 14 points.