By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City’s dynamic backcourt delivered in the clutch.
D.J. Robinson’s steal set up a pair of game-winning free throws by Malaki Brooks with 5.5 seconds to play, lifting the Golden Tornadoes to a thrilling 64-62 victory over visiting Henry County Tuesday night.
Brooks had made two foul shots to tie the contest a few ticks earlier, then converted the game-deciding charities to cap a frantic finish and his 25-point effort for the Purple and Gold, which notched the quality win against a Class 3A foe that had won four of five games coming in.
The boys’ game victory salvaged a doubleheader split as UC dropped Game 1, 47-43.
The Lady Tornadoes (2-5) saw their bid for three straight victories end when HC made 8-of-11 free throws in the fourth quarter to hold off a Union City rally attempt.
Union City will be back at home Saturday night, hosting St. Benedict.
UC 64, Henry Co. 62 (B)
The Tornadoes (3-4) blistered the nets early, sinking a half-dozen 3-pointers in the first five minutes to race to a 22-9 lead. Joseph Lattus made three of those treys, while Brooks canned a pair and Robinson put in seven consecutive points.
Henry County was unfazed though, putting together its own impressive run behind the hot shooting of Jackson Hayes, who spearheaded a 26-8 flurry that flipped the advantage to the Patriots.
It was 37-35 HC at halftime, and, though UC briefly went back in front in the third stanza, the Pats were still up by two (53-51) heading into the stretch run.
Ben Kail’s trifecta lifted the Twisters back in front with 6:52 to play before the two teams then battled evenly down to the wire.
Brooks, who made his last six free throws and 7-of-8 in all, tied things up at 59 with a driving one-hander with 2:38 showing.
Henry County inched back in front 62-60 with 18.8 seconds to play when Brice Donaldson and Hayes made one charity apiece before Brooks was hacked with 13.5 seconds left and calmly bottomed two foul shots to even things at 62 and set the stage for the frantic finish.
Lattus finished with 14 points and Robinson tacked on 12 to join Brooks in double figures for Union City.
Henry Co. 47, UC 43 (G)
The Lady Tornadoes cut an eight-point deficit to 39-36 with just over three minutes to play on a Marlee Theobald 3-point play.
Union City could get no closer, though, and fell to 2-5 on the season.
The Twister girls got off to a good start, leading by as many as seven points in the early going after Amari Bonds and Adaiysha Show connected from 3-point range.
A second-quarter scoring drought, however, saw UC score just four points after leading 13-11 at the first-quarter horn. The Lady Tornadoes were down 21-17 at halftime and by a deuce (30-28) after three frames.
HC’s 9-3 spurt to open the fourth quarter provided the Patriots (3-3) with their largest lead of the contest.
Union City’s bonds’ led all scorers with 24 points.