By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–The Union City girls put their foot on the gas and left Haywood far behind.
A run of 27 unanswered points from late in the first quarter until midway through the third period propelled the Lady Tornadoes to a lopsided 59-25 victory over the visiting Tomcats Tuesday night.
The trio of Amari Bonds (21), Marlee Theobald (15) and Debrionna Jones (10) combined for 46 points as UC put together back-to-back wins after beating Cain Ridge Saturday to improve to 2-4.
Union City’s boys couldn’t complete the sweep, however, fading in the second half of a 67-56 loss to a deep and talented Tomcat squad.
The Tornadoes more than held their own over the first two periods with gritty defense, solid rebounding and timely offense before costly turnovers and Haywood’s superior athleticism tilted things the visitors’ way.
The Tomcats outscored UC 40-25 over the final two frames – taking the lead for good and for the first time since early in the contest with a run of 11 unanswered points midway through the third quarter.
Union City’s two teams will now take the rest of the week off before playing two more home games – next Tuesday vs. Henry County and Dec. 10 against St. Benedict.
UC 59, Haywood 25 (G)
Theobald’s 3-pointer in the final minute of the opening stanza gave her team a 13-12 lead and the Twister girls never looked back.
Bonds pitched in 10 of her game-best point total in the second quarter for Union City, which held Haywood without a single point in the frame and for half the third period.
Jones’ follow-up bucket just before halftime made it 30-12.
The last of Adaiysha Snow’s three 3-pointers helped stretch the lead even further in the third frame before Theobald put the cap on her solid night with nine fourth-quarter points to prompt a mercy-rule running clock.
UC sank eight triples in the contest – Bonds joining Snow with three made shots from beyond the arc.
Haywood 67, UC 56 (B)
Again facing a superiorly talented opponent, the Tornadoes (2-4) held the upper hand against Haywood for most of the first half and into the third frame.
Malaki Brooks bottomed a pair of deep triples to put UC up 19-14 at the first-quarter horn, and the Twisters led three times by as many as seven points before halftime before settling for a 31-27 advantage at the break.
Union City made several ‘hustle’ plays during those first 16 minutes, including a pair of drawn charges by Finn Frankum.
The Tomcats (3-1) used their quickness and athleticism to go on the aforementioned run that vaulted them in front for good, though. Ben Kail’s long 3-pointer broke the Tornadoes’ scoring drought and halved a six-point deficit, but Haywood eventually built the difference to double figures early in the stretch run.
A bucket by D.J. Robinson and two foul shots by Brooks got UC within striking distance at 53-47, but the Purple and Gold could get no closer in the final minutes.
Robinson finished with 14 points, while Kail totaled 12 on four 3-point shots.
Haywood’s Tylon Chatman led all scorers with 25.