By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Malaki Brooks sank four consecutive free throws in the final 15 seconds to cap a 30-point performance and help Union City to a 61-55 season-opening victory over South Gibson County Thursday night at Marty Sisco Gymnasium.
Brooks, who sat out several minutes in the second half with leg cramps, also fueled a third-quarter flurry with 13 points in a run of 15 straight for the Tornadoes, who erased a three-point deficit while taking a 50-38 lead.
Jack Tulley drained a critical 3-pointer midway through the final frame and also had a handful of offensive rebounds to help UC survive some tense moments down the stretch.
SGC spoiled the girls’ head coaching debut of Mason Storey in the opener with a 40-32 win over the Union City girls.
The Lady Tornadoes’ defensive effort was plenty good, as they limited the Hornets to just one field goal and 12 points total in the second half.
UC endured its own offensive struggles, though, especially in the second half when it hit just six shots from the field while scoring only 14 markers. The Twisters did not make a field goal in the last 3:57 after getting as close as 34-31.
Union City will play on the road for the first time this season on Saturday at Jackson Christian School, with the start time for the girls’ game set for 4:30. The boys’ contest will immediately follow.
UC 61, SGC 55 (B)
After trailing by as many as seven points on multiple occasions in the second stanza, Union City battled back to lead 32-30 after a C.J. Davis rebound bucket and two foul shots by Brooks just before halftime.
South Gibson retook the lead, however, but its advantage was only 36-35 after DeAngelo Monroe knocked down the Tornadoes’ fourth 3-pointer of the first half.
Brooks then put on a clinic in the first four minutes of the third frame, draining a pair of treys and scoring on multiple acrobatic drives to the bucket after UC’s stepped-up defense had forced several Hornet turnovers.
Union City’s seemingly comfortable 12-point lead evaporated quickly as the visitors reeled 10 straight themselves to make it 50-48 heading into the stretch run.
It was still a two-point game when Brooks hit the first two of his clutch charities at the 15-second mark to double the Twisters’ advantage. Ben Kail drew a big charge on defense to turn away the Hornets’ ensuing possession, and Brooks then dropped in two more charities with 10 seconds showing to account for the final score.
Davis joined Brooks in double figures with 11 points.
The two teams combined for 47 free throws.
SGC 40, UC 32 (G)
A run of 10 unanswered points in the first quarter gave the Lady Hornets a double-digit lead, and UC could never quite dig out of that hole.
The Twister girls did battle, though.
A stickback by freshman Blair McKinnis and a bucket inside by Debrionna Jones got Union City within 32-27 late in the third quarter. Ada Rogers’ deuce with 3:57 left in the game shaved the difference to 34-31, but the Lady Tornadoes could not manage another field goal the rest of the way.
Sh’Nyla Moss, another freshman, led UC with 10 points.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Martin 48, UC 17 (G)
Martin 51, UC 45 (B)
The host Chargers completed a season sweep of Union City’s two teams after also beating the Tornadoes in their first games of the year.
The UC boys put up the best fight of Thursday’s games but saw their record dip to 5-4 with a close loss.
Martin led 18-12 after one and 30-18 at halftime before the Twisters closed to within 39-35 after three periods.
Will Kail sparked Union City’s third-quarter comeback, sinking four of his five 3-pointers on the way to a team-high 16 markers. Hollister Johnson added 11 markers, and Kobe Maddox gave the Tornadoes a trio of double-figure scorers with 10 points.
The UC girls (6-3) managed just five field goals in their big loss in the opener. Martin took immediate control, leading 20-7 at the end of the first-quarter horn.
Alli McMillan and Amberly Morgan had five points each for the Lady Tornadoes.
Union City next plays at Crockett County on Nov. 27.