A cold shooting stretch during the middle of the game was the undoing for the University Heights Academy Blazers as they lost in their opening game of the 2018 Sweet 16. While the Blazers were losing their shooting eyes, the Campbell County Camels found theirs and pulled away to an 82-65 win Thursday afternoon at Rupp Arena.
The Blazers, unlike their appearance in the All A Classic, opened playing very well. UHA connected on 9 of 17 from the field in the opening quarter, including 4 of 6 from behind the arc, as the Blazers took a 22-16 lead at the end of the first quarter. KyKy Tandy and Drew McGowan had big first quarters for UHA.
In the second quarter, someone put a lid on the Blazers basket as the shots stopped falling. After shooting better than 52-percent in the first quarter, UHA connected on only 4 of 15 shots in the second quarter. While the Blazers were going cold, the Camels began to heat up, and Reid Jolly began to give the Blazers big problems down inside the paint. Campbell County held the Blazers to only 9 points in the quarter, while coming up with 17 on their own end, to take a 33-31 lead at the break.
Campbell County really seized full control of the game, opening the second half on a run to take a double digit lead. The Camels also began to exert more defensive pressure, with double teams on KyKy Tandy. The Camels exploded for 28 points in the 3rd quarter, on 70-percent shooting. The Blazers warmed up a little, shooting 40-percent in the quarter, but it was not enough to keep up with the red hot Camels, who led 61-47 after the quarter.
The Blazers tried to rachet up the defensive pressure, and KyKy Tandy tried to exert more of his will offensively in the 4th quarter. The Blazers would cut the lead to single digits in the final three minutes, but could never get the big basket to fall, or get enough Camel misses to get over the hump down the stretch, as Campbell County pulled away in the final minute for the 17 point win.
KyKy Tandy led the Blazers with 31 points. Malik Lovan and Taquan Hollowell added 11 points apiece. Drew McGowan added 8.
For Cambell County, Joel Day led the attack with 23 points. Tanner Clos added 21 points and 10 rebounds. Big man Reid Jolly chipped in with 20 points and 9 rebounds.
For the game, the Blazers ended up shooting 40.3-percent, while Campbell County hit on 50.9-percent from the field. Campbell County won the battle of the board 39-30. Both teams were effective at ball safety, committing only 8 turnovers each.
The Blazers end their season at 23-8, while Campbell County advances to the quarterfinals Friday night with a record of 29-5.
