By Mike Hutchens, Union City Schools Communications Director (Photos: Mike Hutchens)
Shorthanded Union City gave unbeaten Jackson Christian School all it could handle before dropping a hard-fought 49-47 decision to the visiting Eagles on Tuesday night.
The Tornado boys – making up for the absence of three starters due to injury with another all-out effort that has become the team’s trademark trait – led into the second half before JCS finally went in front and held off the gritty Twister squad.
With leading scorer Ben Kail, defensive stalwart Finn Frankum, and freshman Hollister Johnson all sidelined, Kenny Moss (14 points) and Zak Summers (13) picked up the scoring slack for UC.
Union City couldn’t get its most critical shots to drop in the fourth quarter, however, including four missed free throws down the stretch in falling to 2-6 with its third one-possession loss.
UC’s girls suffered through a woeful shooting exhibition in the opener, falling 51-37.
The Lady Tornadoes made just 2-of-31 from 3-point range and managed but 11-of-56 (19.6 percent) overall, dropping to 5-2 in the season.
Union City did cut a 15-point third-quarter deficit to five points on three occasions but could never put together a consistent offensive stretch to get over the hump.
Sh’Nyla Moss was the only Twister player to score in double figures, netting 11.
UC will play host to Trenton Peabody on Friday, with the contest serving as a reunion of the tradition-rich boys program.
JCS 49, UC 47 (B)
Kwinton Purifoy’s bucket from the lane got Union City within the final margin with less than 10 seconds to play, but the Tornadoes’ shot at a miracle upset died there.
The hustling Twisters made up for their offensive shortcomings with stellar defensive play and solid rebounding, leading by as many as five late in the first half after 3-pointers by Kobe Maddox and Summers, and a deuce by Tayehari Jones following a steal. Summers had all 13 of his points in the first two periods.
An 18-11 JCS surge in the third quarter proved to be the difference in the contest.
DeAngelo Monroe had six of his eight points in the final frame to help UC stay on the Eagles’ heels, the second of his back-to-back buckets getting the Tornadoes within 42-41 with just under six minutes to play.
JCS improved to 9-0 with the victory.
JCS 51, UC 37 (G)
The Lady Tornadoes simply could never get untracked offensively.
Uriah Davis made the first bucket of the contest before UC went nine minutes without a point. The Twister girls missed from all angles and distances and also struggled with turnovers as JCS employed a similar physical defensive philosophy as Union City that knocked the Lady Tornadoes off their game.
Despite a run of nine straight points of its own, UC (5-2) made just two hoops in the second period.
Down 18-11 at halftime, the Twisters found themselves in a 26-11 hole halfway through the third stanza before showing some signs of life.
Debrionna Jones broke another scoring drought that had lasted nearly seven minutes. Moss hit a field goal and two free throws, and Kennedy Robinson connected twice from the charity stripe to get the Lady Tornadoes within 31-26 late in the quarter.
Despite scoring more points in the third quarter (15) than they did in the first two combined, Union City could never string together a run of productive possessions down the stretch.
JCS is now 8-3 after the victory.
