| UC adds another to streak vs. SF | | Posted: Wednesday, December 7, 2011 7:02 pm
| By MIKE HUTCHENS
Messenger Sports Editor
It’s safe to say that the Union City boys have South Fulton’s number.
That figure is 18 and counting.
The Tornadoes beat SF for the 18th straight time Tuesday night dating back to the 2001-02 season, winning their latest matchup of the two Obion County programs 63-54.
The win completed a Union City sweep of the District 14A doubleheader after the Lady Twisters won Game 1 57-41.
Perhaps too ‘jacked up’ to break their aforementioned losing streak against UC in the nightcap, the Redmen shot a woeful 26 percent (19-of-71) against the Tornadoes, who led by as many as 19 in the fourth quarter in winning their fourth straight game and second in as many league outings.
South Fulton (4-2, 1-1) scored on just one of its next 16 possessions after taking a 12-5 lead in the first five minutes as a result of a pair of UC technical fouls, then endured 13 consecutive missed shots in the third period when Union City (6-3) gradually built an insurmountable lead.
In the girls’ game, bigger proved to be indeed better as the Twister girls used their superior height to force SF into 32 percent shooting (14-of-43) and even their 14A record at 1-1 to get their first official victory after being forced to vacate four earlier wins for the use of an ineligible player. UC’s overall mark is 1-4.
Both schools continue district play Friday night, UC at home vs. Trenton, while South Fulton plays at Bradford.
Union City 63, SF 54 (B)
The Tornadoes outscored South Fulton 21-3 over a nine-minute span from midway through the first period until the 3:21 mark of the second stanza behind the play of LaMonte Dickerson and Peyton Mosley, both of whom scored a dozen points in the first half.
A run of 12 unanswered points in the third frame that included both a 3-pointer and a driving bucket by Dickerson and a deuce by Khiry Lewis stretched the difference to 45-26 and coincided with the Devils’ offensive futility.
SF at one time was 7-of-53 (13 percent) from the field while missing from all distances and angles.
“I think they (South Fulton) put a lot of stock in the game because it was a big district game for both teams, and when they didn’t make some open looks they got early, they started pressing a little bit,” Union City head coach Shane Sisco said afterward. “As far as us, we’ve played some real good folks early in the year like Westview and Bolivar and at Calloway County, and when we got down there early, we didn’t panic. We were a little impatient and maybe anxious, but we didn’t let things get out of control.”
The Redmen did make the final score respectable, making four 3-pointers — three of those by Harrison Hawks — while tallying on six of their final seven possessions. UC, meanwhile, did not help its cause during that time, struggling miserably from the foul line, where they made just 20-of-36 for the game.
“I can handle missing the free throws. What I can’t deal with is us quitting playing defense after that and allowing them to make it closer than it should have been,” Sisco added.
South Fulton head coach Wes Miller was understandably disappointed with his team’s performance.
“We’re all good when things go good,” he said. “We’re pretty soft right now. And until we get tough, this is what is going to happen when we play the really good teams in our district who have a history of success.
“I really think we beat ourselves more than Union City beat us. I understand wanting to win bad because of what’s happened in the past, but there’s no excuse for us missing the number of shots we did from in close. I’ll bet we missed 15 layups. And when you only have seven turnovers, you should expect to win.”
Dickerson led UC with 21 points, while Mosley added 13 and freshman Donte Simpson 10.
Jordan Davis — South Fulton’s leading scorer on the season — had 14 for the Devils, but missed the last 2:35 of the first half and all of the third quarter after picking up his third personal, then a technical afterward.
The Tornadoes’ Tre Lewis, who along with his brother Khiry transferred to Union City from SF in the offseason, ended up with five points and was also assessed a technical in the first half.
Union City 57, SF 41 (G)
The Lady Tornadoes’ size was also a factor in throwing over the top of any defensive pressure SF employed.
Union City often took advantage of two-on-one chances and converted from point-blank range with sophomore Kaleigh Bynum scoring a career-high 14 points, most all from underneath. Amber Fair had all 14 of her markers for the winners in the second half.
“For us to be successful, really all we ask several of our kids to do is just play good solid position defense, and because we’re usually bigger than the other team, it gives a good chance every night,” UC head coach Eddie Suiter said. “Kaleigh had a good night, and we expect here to rebound and finish plays, and she did.
“We played a patient and controlled game.”
The Twister girls also got a big lift from freshman Kristin Davis, who had all eight of her points in the first half when Union City outscored the host Devilettes 17-6 in the second period as South Fulton was making just four field goals total over the first two periods.
“I’d say, yeah, their length bothered us some, but we got them into a passive-type game and then didn’t take advantage of that with our quickness and up-tempo pace,” SF skipper Curt Lee said.
Published in The Messenger 12.7.11 | | | | |
