By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer

It was very apropos that Unionville guard Harris Stanislawcyzk’s stolen pass and breakaway layup late in the fourth quarter served as the last bucket in the Longhorns’ 44-30 win over Avon Grove on Dec. 20.

While they were the sophomore’s only points of the day, his smallish scoring output did not dampen the simple fact that he was the best basketball player on the court for the entirety of the game. He found the open man. He dove for loose balls. He seemed to always be in a position under the basket to snatch a rebound that continued a Unionville possession. Most importantly, he kick-started Longhorn rallies – all in the name of fundamental, unselfish basketball. 

“Growing up, I was never a scorer,” Stanislawcyzk said after the game. “I was always that smaller, gritty guy so I had to know that it is hustle that is going to win games, so at the end of the day I got the ball to my guys who can shoot. but I am the guy that can go out there and get the extra board, make the extra pass, and that’s what wins it for us.”

“We emphasize maximize effort, and [Harris] is the ultimate maximum effort guy,” said Unionville Head Coach Chris Cowles. “His leadership is what you do from an action perspective, and it is invaluable to have somebody who embodies the principles of the program and acts on that on a daily basis.”

Despite coming into the game winless on the season, Avon Grove hit the floor on two baskets each by guard Tuh-Shawn McClain and center Blaine Bushey and a three-pointer by Dante Pinkerton, which was answered on the Unionville end by two three-pointers by Sean Haug and key three-pointer by shooting guard Tommy McGinniss with 59 seconds left that gave Unionville a slim 14-13 lead heading in to the second quarter.

Unfortunately for McGinnis, however, they were the only points he gathered in what became an off-shooting day, and in the second quarter, the absence of his scoring led to a six-point second quarter, while on Avon Grove’s side, an early bucket by McClain and Pinkerton’s second three-pointer sent the Red Devils into the locker room holding down a 20-20 tie at halftime.  

Cowles was not phased by McGinnis’ offensive output.

“We always emphasize being aggressive,” he said. “The looks [Tommy] was getting were really good and we’re not going to tell guys not to shoot if they are open. They’re a connected group and we had faith in what we were doing, and while it may have wavered a bit, I kept telling them to just keep going and to get their open shots.”

In an effort to gain control of the game’s momentum, both teams traded baskets early in the third quarter. Haug drained a three-pointer that was quickly answered by a two-point bucket by McClain, a turnaround jumper by Bushey gave Avon Grove to a 24-23 lead with 5:35 left in the quarter and a Unionville turnover led to a layup by McClain extended his team’s lead to four points.

Ignited by Stanislawcyzk’s offensive leadership, Unionville launched a comeback late in the third quarter, when he found Ian Buehler in the corner for a three-pointer with 3:10 remaining that narrowed Avon Grove’s lead to one point and set up a last-second layup by Graham Huntington that gave the Longhorns a 31-28 lead heading in to the fourth quarter. It was a lead they did not relinquish, as Stanislawcyzk continued to find the open man – Haug slicing the lane for a layup, and Owen Watson for his second three-pointer of the game. On both sides of the ball, Unionville held Avon Grove to just two points in the fourth quarter, while racking up 13 points of their own.

Haug led all scorers with 15 points, while McClain and Bushey scored 12 and 9 points, respectively, for Avon Grove.

Now 7-3 overall and 3-0 in the Ches-Mont American, Unionville will travel to Bishop Shanahan on Jan. 3 for a 12:30 p.m. game against the Eagles. Now 0-6 overall, Avon Grove will look to get in the winning column when they play host to Kennett on Jan. 3 in a 1:15 start.

Before the game, Avon Grove High School honored the members of the 1970 boys’ basketball team that accumulated a record of 25-0 on the season and captured the Class B State Championship. 

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].