By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City’s girls avenged an earlier loss and claimed fifth place in the Gibson County Pre-Christmas Tournament with a 61-53 victory over Jackson Christian School Saturday evening.
The Lady Tornadoes had bounced back from an opening-round setback in the event one day earlier on Friday with a 51-33 triumph over Madison Academic.
UC improved to 9-3 by winning two-out-of-three in its final pre-Christmas games of 2024.
The Twister boys dropped a pair of contests in the Charles Cowles Classic in Dyersburg over the weekend, losing to the host Trojans 74-62 on Friday and vs. Ruleville Central (Miss.) 66-54 on Saturday.
Union City is 3-9 now, headed into its Christmas break.
GIRLS
UC 61, JCS 53
The Lady Tornadoes got payback for a 14-point loss to JCS 11 days earlier as four players scored in double figures.
Sh’Nyla Moss led the balanced UC attack with 16 points, while Debrionna Jones and Uriah Davis hit for 14 apiece. Alli McMillan finished with a dozen markers.
Davis had a stellar all-around contest, also claiming 10 rebounds and four blocked shots for the Lady Tornadoes. She made a pair of 3-pointers and went 4-of-4 from the foul line.
Jones ended up with eight boards, and Moss sank 10-of-11 free throws.
McMillan had all 12 of her points in the first half as UC took a 36-21 intermission advantage. JCS (11-5) rallied to within two points early in the fourth quarter before the Twister girls banded together to hang on.
Jackson Christian School had won 10 of 11 games entering the contest.
UC 51, Madison 33
Moss did a little bit of everything with 20 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists to lead the Lady Tornadoes on Friday.
Jones was again solid with 15 points and eight rebounds, while McMillan knocked down a pair of treys.
UC built a commanding 32-12 lead at halftime and was never seriously threatened afterward.
The Lady Tornadoes will play in the Peggy Bain Holiday Hoop Classic in Glenn, Miss., on Dec. 27 and 28th.
BOYS
Dyersburg 74, UC 62
The Tornadoes battled back from a double-digit deficit to within 46-45 after three when Ben Kail hit for 12 of his team-high 21 points in that third quarter.
But D’burg, which had led 37-24 at the half and 16-6 at the first-quarter horn, outscored Union City 28-17 over the final eight minutes, making 15 charities along the way.
The Twisters were hampered by 15 missed free throws.
Hollister Johnson joined Kail in double figures with 10 points.
Ruleville (Miss.) 66, UC 54
UC trailed by seven at all three quarter breaks, including 47-40 heading down the stretch.
Kail bottomed 11-of-14 from the foul line and led a trio of Tornadoes in twin digits with 19 points. Finn Frankum and Kobe Maddox each scored 10, and D.J. Evans tallied eight.
UC will play in the HUB Classic at Liberty Tech in Jackson on Dec. 27, 28, and 30 after the Christmas break. The Twisters will open play in the event against Memphis Central on Dec. 27 at 1:30 p.m.