What to watch for in WPIAL sports for Dec. 4, 2023: Uniontown hosts Washington in nonsection showdown

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, December 3, 2023 | 10:13 PM

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The first full week of high school basketball kicks into full gear with plenty of nonsection roundball in the early part of the week.

One matchup to watch in boys basketball Monday is Class 4A power Uniontown opening its season at home against 3A power Washington (0-2).

Last season, Uniontown was co-champion with Laurel Highlands in Section 3-4A. The Red Raiders lost to North Catholic in the district quarterfinals and fell to Lincoln Park in the state semifinals.

Uniontown has four starters back from a team that finished 23-6, including junior guards Notorious Grooms and Calvin Winfrey, plus senior center K’Adrian Lee and senior forward Jamire Braxton.

Washington was also a co-champion last year, finishing tied with Yough atop Section 4-3A.

The Little Prexies’ postseason stay was short and not sweet as they fell to Seton LaSalle in the 3A first round, 59-57.

Senior Ruben Gordon was an all-section guard last year and is the top returning player for Wash High, which dropped two games in the Canon-McMillan tip-off tournament to the host Big Macs and Trinity.

Good start…again

A year ago, the Brownsville girls basketball team began the season with two victories in the tournament it hosted. The group then won only three more games all season and finished winless in the section and 5-15 overall.

However, the winds of change are blowing with the start of the new season, and the Falcons hope a quick start will carry over into January and February this time around.

Brownsville once again picked up two victories in its own tournament over Bentworth and Chartiers-Houston.

The Falcons looks to build on that with a nonsection game Monday at home against Laurel Highlands.

The Mustangs hit the road for the first time after they beat Allderdice and Franklin Regional in their own tip-off tournament.

Two more hot start clashes

There are two other girls basketball nonsection contests Monday that match two teams that are both 2-0.

Beaver defeated West Mifflin and host Brentwood on opening weekend. Now the Bobcats visit Plum, a team that opened with wins over Freeport and Highlands in the Freeport tournament.

Also, Mohawk hosts Aquinas Academy in a matchup of a 3A playoff team against a Class A postseason squad from a year ago.

The Crusaders beat Jeannette and Riverview this past weekend at Aquinas Academy while the Warriors played in the New Castle tip-off tourney and defeated Shenango and Riverside.

Tags: Aquinas Academy, Beaver, Brownsville, Laurel Highlands, Mohawk, Uniontown, Washington, West Mifflin