By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City,, Tenn.–Union City’s season-long Achilles heel finally got the best of the Golden Tornadoes.
Giles County yanked down six offensive rebounds in overtime – those extra chances ultimately leading to critical Bobcat free throws and UC’s year-ending 53-45 loss to GC in the Class 2A sectionals at Pulaski Monday night.
The Twisters, who overcame numerous injuries throughout the season to get hot in the postseason, finished the year with a 12-20 record and the 23rd sectional/substate berth in the illustrious history of the program that has won five state titles and finished second twice.
Union City led Monday’s contest by as many as eight points in the first half before GC’s Jaceion Coffey took over inside, exposing a season-long Twister weakness. Coffey hauled in several offensive caroms and scored 10 third-quarter points to spearhead the Bobcats’ rally.
After both teams missed opportunities to win in the final seconds of regulation, Giles County then bought itself several extra possessions via second and third chances that led to an 8-of-10 free throw shooting exhibition in the overtime.
“I thought that going into the second half, number-20 (Coffey) made up his mind that he was going to get every rebound that came off their missed shots, and he almost did,” said UC head coach Shane Sisco. “We didn’t see a lot of that from him on film, but the way he was active around the glass resembled what teams did to us a lot during the season.”
The Bobcats – leading by just one point in the waning moments of the OT – also benefitted from an untimely technical foul whistled on Sisco. That call led to four straight made free throws by Jake Cardin and a run of seven unanswered points that gave GC an insurmountable edge.
“The technical was on me, and I take full responsibility for it,” the Tornado coach admitted. “I was coaching our kids. I was two steps out of the (coaching) box, and they called a technical foul. That was huge. Their kid steps to the line and makes four free throws that put us down five. Then they got another second-chance possession and added on.”
Behind by eight, UC got a got within 50-45 on a Ben Kail 3-pointer and had a chance to get closer with a pair of foul shots with less than a half-minute showing. Neither fell, however, effectively ending the Twisters’ 2022-23 campaign.
A 12-point first quarter by Malaki Brooks and six in the second stanza from Jaylen Lewis helped the Purple and Gold lead for the entire first half. It was 14-9 after one and 23-18 at the intermission.
A critical Union City scoring drought that lasted nearly six minutes allowed GC to take its first lead. The Twisters could manage only triples by Brooks and Ben Kail in the third period and entered the stretch run down 31-29.
UC got a pair of buckets from D.J. Robinson and a free throw by Lewis to grab a 34-31 advantage with still half the final stanza to play, though, before the host team evened things up with a Jack Harper triple.
The contest was then tied at 34, 36, and 38 before each club missed opportunities to win in regulation.
“Our guys continued to fight the whole game and gave us a chance. We just couldn’t make the plays when we needed to,” Sisco added. “Defensively, we did a good job in the 1-3-1 and limited their 3-point opportunities.
“We just couldn’t convert on the offensive end. And we had several chances.”
Brooks finished with a game-high 22 points, while Lewis, one of three UCHS seniors, ended up with 11. Robinson and Nolan Candler were the other Tornadoes to suit up for a final time on the prep level.
Sisco paid tribute to those seniors afterward.
“I wish we could’ve pulled it out for D.J. and Jaylen, because they stuck with us through four years. Nolan really gave us a nice lift by returning to the program for his senior year, and I’d hoped for a better finish for him, too,” the coach stated.
“Still – with so many things that went against us during the season – we made it to the sectionals. We live in a society where it’s easy to quit. Our kids stuck with it, even when it was tough and didn’t look good. We started the year with 22 kids, and we ended the year with 22 kids. I’m proud of how we ended the year.”
Giles County advances to the Class 2A state tournament with 18 consecutive wins and a 24-8 record.