By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
MEMPHIS – It was truly a bitter pill to swallow.
Union City saw a 14-point first-half lead melt away under the heat of a physical defensive onslaught by host MAHS over the final two quarters in what was eventually a heartbreaking 43-40 Class 1A sectional loss Monday night.
The gut-wrenching setback denied the Tornadoes a berth in the state tournament and ended UC’s otherwise stellar 2020-21 campaign with a 21-9 record. It marked the second straight year Memphis Academy of Health Sciences ended the Twisters’ season one game short of Murfreesboro in the sectional round.
The contest was the last in a UCHS uniform for five seniors: Ben McMillian, Carter Walton, Neil Brown, Taylan Tribble and Ben Martinek.
Union City’s effort was both gritty and gallant against an athletic Memphis bunch that often mauled and manhandled the Purple and Gold defensively without consequence – especially in the second half when the Lions roared from behind.
MAHS (11-8) used bump and grind tactics on the defensive end – many times employing heavy contact — to force turnovers on 12 of 30 second half Tornado possessions to fuel a 30-15 second half flurry that erased a 25-11 UC lead just before intermission.
Tornado head coach Shane Sisco was adamant afterward that his team deserved a better fate.
“The second half turned into a wrestling match. And we’re not very good wrestlers,” a dejected Sisco said following the contest. “They were allowed to reach and grab and bump and it became very physical … too physical for what was supposed to be a basketball game.
“This hurts as bad as any loss I’ve ever had. I felt like our kids gave it everything they had for 32 minutes and deserved better.”
The Tornadoes – after a slow start – had an impressive run of 16 unanswered points to take command and a 25-11 lead late in the first half. Brown scored all eight of his points during the flurry and Ben McMillan drained a pair of 3-pointers and also scored on a slashing drive to the bucket.
It was Walton who was the catalyst, however, for the Purple and Gold, drawing five of an amazing eight charges taken in the first half and providing emotional leadership for his team.
Allowed to step up their physical defensive attack in the second half, MAHS (11-8) ran off 12 straight points with the aid of eight Union City turnovers to briefly take a one-point lead in the waning minutes of the third stanza.
Another McMillan triple and two free throws by Walton, though, pushed UC back into the lead, 34-30, with just over seven minutes to play.
The Lions answered with nine markers in a row, all scored by the host team relentlessly attacking the basket following Twister mistakes – some forced, others unforced.
Union City didn’t go away, however, and got within 40-39 with 49 seconds left when Walton made a pullup jumper under heavy pressure.
Down 43-40 as the clock wound down, UC did get off a chance to force overtime, but Tribble’s 3-pointer danced off the back rim just before the final buzzer.
“We played at the tempo we wanted and we kept them from scoring there in the second quarter to build the big lead,” Sisco continued. “And even with all that happened in the second half, we still gave ourselves a chance at the end.”
MAHS made 13-of-21 foul shots to just 4-of-7 for Union City.
The coach then paid one final tribute to his seniors.
“I hate it for this bunch, and I just can’t say enough about our group of seniors,” he concluded. “Ben Martinek showed up every day and worked hard, not knowing how much time he’d get or wouldn’t get in games. Taylan (Tribble) came back from an awful knee injury and was really a solid player for us all season. Neil Brown really became a force around the basket and dictated what defenses had to do to defend us.
“I’ve never had a kid to play harder than Carter Walton did tonight. Even with the eight charges he drew, he wound up on the floor many more times than on just those occasions. And what can you say about Ben McMillan? He was a self-made player with a fantastic work ethic and a great basketball IQ who ended up scoring more than 1,800 points in his career.
“Those types of groups don’t come along every year. And I hope our younger kids were paying attention and learned from them.”
McMillan ended his UC career with 15 points Monday, while Walton chipped in with 11.