By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City’s results matched their respective efforts against Liberty Tech.
“It was as good of execution as we’ve had on the offensive end all season,” insisted Tornado head coach Shane Sisco, whose team blitzed Liberty Tech 71-48 for its eighth straight victory Thursday night.
“When the ball touches several hands, the shots become easier. We moved the ball very well and had good pace to our offense.”
Tyler Walton and Ben McMillan teamed to score 41 points and made four 3-pointers apiece as UC hit a torrid 55 percent (11-of-20) from outside the arc.
The Union City girls, meanwhile, likewise drew positive words from head coach Chuck Reedy after they beat Liberty 49-39 in Game 1 to complete a season sweep of the Class 2A Lady Crusaders.
“We played hard the whole game. It wasn’t necessarily always pretty – especially with all the missed free throws – but our effort really pleased me, Reedy claimed.
Despite being without starting point guard Sophie Theobald (illness), the Twister girls got 18 points from Jada Williams and 11 more from Kendall Davis to offset 18 missed free throws – 15 of those in the fourth quarter.
UC is now 17-7 on the boys’ side and 9-12 in girls’ play.
The Tornado teams will make a lengthy road trip to play at Columbia Academy Saturday night, the girls’ game set to begin at 5 p.m.
UC 71, LT 48 (B)
Walton and McMillan took turns torching the athletic Crusader bunch, the latter hitting a trio of treys in the first period when he scored 13 of his 20 points to help UC build a double figure lead in the first four minutes.
A run of 14 straight markers in the second frame built the difference to as many as 21 points (35-14) for the Purple and Gold, which hit 64 percent, including 11-of-13 from 2-point range, in the opening half.
The ever-steady Walton took over in the third frame after his team led 39-25 at the intermission, draining back-to-back triples to open the second half and three in the first three minutes of the third quarter.
Comfortably ahead 57-39 heading into the fourth frame, Union City built its largest lead at 65-41 when Tariq Broadway converted a rare four-point play with just over two minutes to go.
“Their athleticism challenged some things that we like to do, but it was good for us to play a team like them,” Sisco continued after the wire-to-wire impressive showing. “Our play matched their athleticism.”
“And it started on the defensive end. We made them jump shooters and did a really good job in the first half of keeping them off the glass.”
Walton led UC with 21 points, while Neil Brown, who continues to evolve as a legitimate post threat on both ends for the Tornadoes, gave his team a third double digit scorer with 10 points.
UC 49, Liberty 39 (G)
The absence of Theobald had the Lady Tornadoes down three starters after the loss of Shadimon Henry and Arielle Everett earlier in the year to knee injuries.
Union City showed grit throughout Thursday’s game, though, and were just good enough offensively to net a much-needed win heading into a couple of critical District 13A games next week.
“I challenged them before the game to just find a way to win,” Reedy added. “And I thought we had some kids step into some different roles than they are used to and play really, really well and hard.
“That was a big and athletic team we beat.”
The coach specifically singled out the efforts of Shyon Stephens, Davis, Bre Williams and Kylie McCadney.
Davis’ 3-pointer with 3:10 showing in the first half gave Union City a lead it would never lose. She added another triple 70 seconds later after Triana Mackins had connected from downtown to account for the Lady Twisters’ largest first-half lead (22-14).
Jada Williams had consecutive buckets to expand that gap to 12 in the third quarter before the visitors got within 33-30 early in the stretch run.
Bre Williams’ deuce came at a crucial time, though, and UC then survived its shaky foul line exhibition.
Stephens joined Williams and Davis in double digits with 10 markers.
Photos by Mike Hutchens.
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