Four days after earning an overtime win over Hopkinsville to move to 3-0 in 8th-District play, the UHA Blazers continued their strong play with a 72-31 stomping of hosts Crittenden County in the first round of the 2nd-Region All-A Classic on Tuesday night. The Blazers’ second-straight win and third in four tries sets up a tantalizing semifinal meeting with Lyon County Friday night at Livingston Central.
UHA’s Will Bryan opened the game with three-straight layups to force an early Crittenden County timeout, but the stoppage didn’t slow down the Blazers. A KJ Crump 3-pointer stretched the margin to 10, before DJ Quarles converted an and-1 for a 17-4 score with just three minutes played. Quarles knocked down two free throws with :35 left and the Blazers effectively put the game away with a 29-9 score after one.
Preston Turley scored 4 points in the second quarter and the Rockets outscored the Blazers 11-10, but UHA was still in control 39-20 at the halftime break.
Amani McGee scored 9 points out of the locker room and Quarles added 8 more, the last 3 coming on an and-1 to give the Blazers a 66-28 lead after three quarters.
With a running clock in the fourth, the teams combined for only 8 points and UHA coasted into Friday’s semifinal.
University Heights 29 10 28 5 — 72
Crittenden County 9 11 8 3 — 31
University Heights (7-8) — McGee 20, Bryan 18, Quarles 17, Crump 10
Crittenden County (7-8) — Mott 10, Turley 9
