By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–On a night reserved for celebrating milestones, a pair of Union City victories simply provided icing on the cake.
A large turnout at Marty Sisco Gymnasium crowd saw Malaki Brooks join the 1,000-Point Club and the unbeaten 2013-14 Lady Tornado state championship team honored, then witnessed a 48-28 win by the UC girls and a 56-44 triumph by the Twister boys over Milan.
The Saturday sweep kept the Union City boys perfect after six games, while the Tornado girls moved to the .500 mark at 3-3.
The sharpshooting Brooks fittingly joined other elite scorers in the Tornadoes’ decorated program history by burying a 3-pointer at 2:16 of the first quarter of the nightcap.
The shot was part of another splendid offensive exhibition by the slender senior sensation who totaled 26 points and sank five treys.
At halftime of the boys’ game, the UCHS Lady Tornado state championship squad that began its perfect march to the Gold Ball 10 years ago in the 2013-14 campaign was recognized.
Head coach Eddie Suiter, assistants Nelson Youngblood and Chuck Reedy, and many of the players from that squad that followed up a state runner-up finish the year before with an unblemished 37-0 title run received deserved acknowledgment from the big gathering of Purple and Gold fans.
Union City will play at home again Tuesday against Dyer County.
UC 48, Milan 28 (G)
The Lady Tornadoes jumped all over the visitors from the opening tip, storming to a 19-3 first-quarter lead thanks to intense fullcourt defensive pressure.
Debrionna Jones and Aujani Moss regularly attacked the bucket early, each scoring six points in that first frame, with Blair McKinnis helping out with a triple and two free throws.
Comfortably ahead 27-10 at the intermission, a burst to open the second half that featured 3-pointers by Moss and Marlee Theobald essentially sealed the UC victory.
Jones finished with a game-high 16 points, while Moss and Theobald had nine apiece.
UC 56, Milan 44 (B)
The Tornadoes notched another quality win against a foe from a larger classification, employing waves of suffocating defensive pressure that gradually took its toll on the Bulldogs.
UC – which now has four victories vs. bigger-school programs – continued its practice of substituting fresh bodies regularly while keeping up dogged defensive heat and dictated a pace far faster than Milan wanted.
DeAngelo Monroe provided the Twisters with a telling lift on offense, scoring 12 points, including a triple and deuce at the end of the third period that expanded a slim lead to 48-35. Brooks converted a rare four-point play and scored on a slashing drive to begin the 14-4 run.
Kenny Moss continued his solid play with 11 markers to give Union City three players in double figures.