By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City fell victim to Obion County Central’s free throw shooting prowess in what was ultimately a 72-65 loss to the Rebels in the consolation bracket of the Martin Lions Club Christmas Tournament Wednesday afternoon.
The Rebels made 28-of-39 from the charity stripe for the game, including 16-of-20 in the final quarter when UC cut what was once a 13-point deficit to six on two occasions. At one point, OC made 14 in a row from the foul line.
The meeting was the first between the one-time rivals since the 2011-12 season and netted Central fifth place in the 56th annual event which ranks as the longest such holiday tournament in rural West Tennessee.
Union City, which was without senior posts Neil Brown (injury) and Taylan Tribble (college visit), was in foul trouble throughout the contest and eventually saw its top three scorers – Ben McMillan, Carter Walton and AJ Blackman – foul out in the fourth period.
Central (5-6) took the lead for good halfway through the second stanza and went up by as many as nine points just before halftime. UC battled back to get within 42-41 in the middle stages of the third frame on Walton’s bucket, but then saw the Rebels go on a 14-2 run to take their largest lead of the contest.
Walton made a triple and converted a pair of free throws at the four-minute mark to draw the Twisters within 58-52, and Union City was still within two possessions with 2:36 to go before the Rebels salted the game away at the line.
McMillan led a trio of Tornado scorers in double figures with 20 points – 16 of those coming in the first half. Walton ended up with 16 markers and Blackman totaled 10.
Central’s Emerson Fussell led all point-makers with 32, including a perfect 18-for-18 exhibition at the charity stripe.
UC fell to 4-6 with the loss.
Both Tornado squads will begin the second half of their respective campaigns with a doubleheader against visiting Westview, Tuesday night.