By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Once Union City stepped up the pace, the Lady Tornadoes ran Lake County out of the gymnasium.
A 31-1 flurry fueled by its fullcourt defensive pressure propelled UC to a 67-29 rout of the Lady Falcons in the opening round of the District 13A Tournament Monday night.
The win assured the second seeded Twister girls (19-10) of at least three more postseason games, beginning with Thursday night’s 7:30 semifinal against Dresden. The Lady Lions (19-8) whipped South Fulton 48-25 in their first-round game and will be looking to avenge a pair of regular season losses to Union City, which won earlier meetings by 17 and eight points, respectively.
Both teams will play again on Saturday in either the championship or consolation games of the 13A event before then moving on to regional tourney play next week at Gibson County.
The Lady Tornadoes took a little while to kick things into high gear against LC Monday night, leading just 30-20 at halftime after routing the Falcons twice during the regular season.
UC scored the third quarter’s first 14 points though, with freshman Amari Bonds immediately lighting things up. Bonds made four 3-pointers in the period and had 16 of her game-best 23 markers in that third stanza.
Kylie McCadney converted an old-fashioned 3-point play and Kyndall Davis knocked down a deep trey to cap the surge and make it 61-21, and putting the mercy rule into effect heading into the final frame.
Many of the Lady Twisters’ buckets in that deciding spurt came as a result of their fullcourt defensive pressure, which created easy transition baskets.
And head coach Chuck Reedy was quick to point out that telling fact.
“Our pressure was just the key and it helped us take over the game,” Reedy said. “One end fueled the other end, and whether it was on long rebounds or turnovers out front, we were able to get in transition and get ahead of them.
“I was really proud of how we consistently kept up the pressure.”
Jada Williams had 13 of her 16 points in the first half when UC eased to a double-figure lead. Sophie Theobald’s only field goal – a 3-pointer – accounted for the Lady Tornadoes’ largest lead before intermission at 26-15 with five minutes left before halftime.
Davis ended up joining Bonds and Williams in double figures with 11 points.
Reedy almost immediately turned his attention to his team’s next challenge – beating a Dresden bunch for a third time, something that would put the Twister girls into Saturday’s finals and secure a first round home regional contest.
“We’ve had that one circled for some time because of its importance in the grand scheme of things,” the coach added. “We’re where we’d hoped to be and where we want to be.
“We’ll need to make some shots, but, like tonight, our defense will dictate whether we play for a championship or third place on Saturday.”
DISTRICT 13A TOURNAMENT
GIRLS QUARTERFINALS
LAKE CO. — 29
Lee 8, Swift 6, Hill 6, Barber 3, Wilbanks 2, Smith 2, York 2.
UNION CITY — 67
Amari Bonds 23, Jada Williams 16, Kyndall Davis 11, McCadney 7, Theobald 4, C. Williams 4, Stephens 2.
Lake Co. 13 7 1 8 — 29
Union City 17 13 31 6 — 67
Records: Lake Co. 10-18; Union City 19-10
Next Games: UC plays Dresden, Thursday at 7:30 p.m., at UT Martin in the second of two semifinal games.