By Mike Hutchens, UC Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City closed out the first half of its 2021-22 basketball season with a split decision.
The Lady Tornadoes earned a third-place finish in the Martin Lions Club Tournament with a 46-34 victory over Peabody Thursday.
UC won two of its three games in the state’s longest-running holiday tournament and finished the first part of its season with a 9-5 record.
The Twister boys, though, dropped their sixth straight outing in a 50-42 loss to Holy Spirit Prep (Ga.) in the consolation round of the Cleveland BSN Holiday Tournament in East Tennessee.
Union City will carry a 5-9 mark into 2022 when it hosts Haywood on Tuesday night at Marty Sisco Gymnasium.
GIRLS
UC 46, Peabody 34
The Lady Tornadoes started their season with a 59-41 win over Peabody and ended 2021 with another twin-digit victory against Trenton.
Amari Bonds continued her strong play by hitting for a game-high 24 points, including a pair of 3-pointers and 10-of-13 free throws. Bonds had nine of her points in the opening stanza, including both triples.
Teammate Sophie Theobald was also a double-figure scorer with 11 markers, and Khia German finished with seven.
UC stretched a two-point first-quarter lead to 24-18 at the half and survived a seven-point third period by putting up 15 points in the final frame.
Both Bonds and Theobald were chosen to the all-tournament team in post-tournament ceremonies.
Peabody is now 1-12.
BOYS
HSP 50, UC 42
A poor third period haunted the Tornadoes for the second straight game as Union City could put up but five points in the quarter after holding a 25-21 halftime advantage over its Georgia foe.
In all, UC was outscored 29-17 in the second half while making just five field goals.
The Twisters led 14-6 after one as Malaki Brooks scored eight points and Skylar Mays dropped in a 3-pointer.
Brooks led the Tornadoes with 17 points. D.J. Robinson put in 10 and Jackson Chism tallied eight.
Photo: Amari Bonds.