| Twisters, unbeaten still a perfect duo | | | Unbeaten and the Union City boys still belong in the same sentence.
The Tornadoes ran their perfect record to 14-0 with a 79-71 victory over Little Rock Mills Thursday night in the First Midwest Bank Showdown in Poplar Bluff, Mo.
Obion Central, meanwhile, recorded nearly-identical lopsided victories over Henry County and McKenzie, respectively, in the Huntingdon Point Guard Classic on Thursday.
The Lady Rebels won for the 11th time in 12 games and handed HC just its second loss in 11 outings with a 71-41 drubbing, while the OC boys surpassed their victory total of last season by winning their ninth game in a 71-43 thumping of Mckenzie.
The UC boys — who suffered two of their four losses last season in the event — will continue play in the Missouri tournament tonight when they face Raytown South (4-3) at 8:30 and will then play again Saturday at either 7 or 8:30 p.m. in the championship game, depending on tonight’s outcome.
The Rebel clubs will take tonight off before then playing their final games of 2007 Saturday night at Huntingdon, the OC boys facing Collinwood at 6:30, followed by the Central-Collinwood girls’ matchup at 8 p.m.
The following is a recap of Thursday’s games.
First Midwest Bank Showdown
UC 79, Little Rock Mills 71 (B)
The Tornadoes made 15 3-ponters and hit 10-of-12 free throws down the stretch to remain unbeaten and move into the tourney semifinals.
UC, which trailed 21-11 before making back-to-back 3-pointers at the end of the first period, was in front 46-44 at halftime and 60-56 after three periods when Andre Coby drained a trey at the third-quarter horn. The Twisters made seven trifectas in the second stanza to key a 29-point stretch.
MJ Brown lit up the Comets for a game-high 28 points — including five 3-pointers — with Lavan Mosley tossing in 20 markers and Ryan Simpson 11.
Brown’s stellar peformance was not limited to his scoring output as he also had eight assists, four rebounds and three steals.
Coby finished with a team-high 12 rebounds for the victors.
Mike Jackson topped Mills (6-3) with 20 points.
Raytown South (4-3) advanced to meet UC today by hammering host Poplar Bluff 77-47.
Huntingdon
Point Guard Classic
OC 71, Henry Co. 41 (G)
Though already comfortably ahead 45-31 heading into the fourth quarter, the Lady Rebels put an exclamation on their victory by outscoring HC 26-10 over the final eight minutes to win going away.
Sophomore Chassidy Fussell erupted for a career-high 35 points to pace the victors, making four of OC’s five 3-pointers along the way.
Jana Roney added 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds to the Lady Rebel cause.
Unselfishness was wide-spread among the Central ladies as they passed out 24 assists in the contest with Emily McGee dishing seven.
Aubrey Reedy came up with four steals to lead a Rebel defense that forced Henry County into more than 20 turnovers.
It was 17-9 at the end of the first quarter and 29-16 in favor of Obion Central at halftime.
OC 71, McKenzie 43 (B)
After a slow start, Central went on a 31-8 second-quarter run to open a 25-point intermission advantage and then cruised to their ninth win in 12 starts.
The Rebels made 10 3-pointers in the contest, Brandon Smith hitting three treys on his way to a team-high 13 points.
Three other OC players also scored in double figures with Silvanus Lee scoring 12 points and Nick Gilliam and Justin Owens accounting for 10 apiece.
Obion Central assistant coach Travis Johnson said the Rebs “regained their basketball legs” after the first period and played with considerably more intensity — especially on the defensive end — to fuel their second quarter flurry.
Lee and Owens also made a pair of 3-pointers for the county locals. | | | | |
