By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City can take a little comfort in knowing their season ended at the hands of the best.
Top-ranked Gibson County brought down the curtain on the Lady Tornadoes’ 2018-19 campaign Thursday night, beating UC 55-25 in the Region 7A Tournament quarterfinals at Dyer.
The Twister girls ended their year with a 12-18 mark, but advanced to regional play for the eighth time in the last nine seasons despite a season filled with injuries, illnesses and plain old bad luck.
“If we had to get beat, I’m OK that it was by the best team in the state and not someone we should’ve beaten,” first year head coach Chuck Reedy said afterward. “I thought the girls gave me a great effort tonight… we just are not as talented and as experienced as the other team that starts five seniors.
“I think making the regional tournament was a realistic goal for us, given all that happened to us during the season. Now we have to build on that. We have everybody but one senior coming back, and the key thing for us now is to be hungry to improve in all areas. I’ll say if we don’t make the next step and are just satisfied to get to the regional next year, it won’t be a good season.
“We have to build on this.”
Bre Williams was UC’s lone senior this year.
The Lady Tornadoes dug themselves a 17-2 first quarter hole and were outscored 23-4 in the third period with a similar stretch of play against GC, which contested every pass and every shot with its fullcourt man defense during those times.
Union City did have a good run in the second stanza as the more physical of the two teams and cut a 15-point deficit to seven twice before entering the halftime break down just 23-14.
The Twister girls scored seven straight points, getting a 3-pointer from Kendall Davis and buckets by Jada Williams and Kylie McCadney to begin their 12-6 spurt. Shyon Stephens stuck home a follow shot and Sophie Theobald drained a 3-pointer to get the Purple and Gold as close as 18-11 and 21-14, respectively.
GC began the second half much as it had the first, though, scoring 11 straight points to break the contest open. The run was part of a 20-2 flurry that made it 46-19 after three quarters.
“Our shortcomings were very obvious in those runs to start the game and the second half,” Reedy added. “We never quit playing hard, but we just couldn’t handle their pressure and we couldn’t make contested or wide-open shots.
“I do believe it was a good experience for us. I think with this eighth-grade bunch we have coming up, our practices next year are going to be more competitive and that’s going to make us better. The kids did everything I asked this year, and if they’ll stick with me and continue to buy in, we’re going to get to where the teams like Gibson County are.”
Williams, the team’s leading scorer on the season, again topped the point-making list with eight. Davis finished with six.
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