By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
A quick start made for a good finish for the Union City girls.
Sophie Theobald hit three of her five 3-pointers in an opening 16-2 burst and the Lady Tornadoes then finished off Madison Academic Magnet with a dominant second half in a 57-28 Region 7A Tournament quarterfinal victory Saturday.
The win sends UC (14-11) into Monday’s semifinals where it will face top-ranked and 2019 Class A state champion Gibson County (30-1) at 7 p.m. at GCHS. The Lady Pioneers dominated Bradford 66-29 in their Saturday quarterfinal game.
GC edged Union City 50-45 in last year’s regional semifinals and was still alive in the state tournament Final 4 when the remainder of the season was canceled due to the coronavirus. Gibson County’s only loss this season was a three-point setback vs. McKenzie, and the Lady Pioneers will come into Monday’s game with UC on a 20-game winning streak.
Monday’s winners will not only earn a spot in Wednesday’s championship round but will also secure a spot in the sectionals.
Theobald, who finished with a game-best 19 points and topped three Lady Tornadoes in double figures, was dialed in early as the Purple and Gold bolted to a commanding lead in the first six minutes against MAM Saturday.
Amari Bonds (13 points) opened the contest with a triple and Kylie McCadney added a steal and deuce to make it a 14-point game before the first quarter was over. UC got the job done on the defensive end, too, forcing eight first-quarter turnovers with smothering fullcourt pressure.
The Twister girls then endured a nine-minute span without a single point though, allowing MA (10-12) to hang around and actually creep within 16-13 with just a minute to go before the intermission.
McCadney’s putback broke the ice with 47 seconds to play before the half and Theobald then bottomed her fourth trey just before the horn to give Union City a 21-13 lead at the break.
As she did to begin the game, Bonds buried a 3-pointer to start the second half. A Jada Williams reverse layup underneath and another Bonds trifecta made for a 10-2 run and expanded the difference to 31-15 with only three minutes having elapsed in the third stanza.
Theobald made a layup and then a floater just before the buzzer to cap a 19-7 frame and make it 40-20 with eight minutes to play.
The Lady Tornadoes were in control of that time, too, gradually expanding their lead before reserves finished up the last two minutes. Aujani Bonds hit from both inside and outside the arc during that time to account for the largest gap of the night with the final score.
Williams joined Theobald and Bonds in twin digits with 15 points.
In all, UC made nine 3-pointers.
Sherreda Peggs topped the Lady Mustangs with 16 points.