After a strong start that saw them build a 9-point lead in the second quarter, the UHA Blazers faded in a 78-60 loss to hosts Paducah Tilghman on Monday night.
The Blazers found themselves trailing by 6 before KJ Crump scored their first points of the night on a layup almost three minutes into the game. However, it was all UHA from there, including 7-straight from Crump, and they led 14-11 after the first quarter.
Crump scored on a pull-up and a 3-pointer to stretch the advantage to 9 at 20-11 with 6:35 to play in the half, but the Blue Tornado stormed back with 9 unanswered points to tie the game. Eli Brown scored 2 of his 12 second-quarter points to give Tilghman the lead and jumpstart a 17-6 run. He then closed the half with a 3-pointer with :15 to go and the Blue Tornado led 37-26 at the break.
Mian Shaw scored 7 of his team-high 17 in the third and Paducah Tilghman continued to build the lead. A DJ Quarles 3-pointer pulled UHA back to within 11 with 3:44 left in the quarter, but a 12-3 run put the Blue Tornado in control 60-40 going to the fourth.
The Blazers got within 16 after a Crump pull-up with just over six minutes to play, but Landon Fitzgerald came alive for 8 points down the stretch to help Tilghman put the game away.
UHA was scheduled to play 8th-District rival Hopkinsville on Friday, but with sports on pause for the Tigers and Christian County, the Blazers will now hit the road to play Owensboro Catholic instead.
University Heights Academy 14 12 14 20 — 60
Paducah Tilghman 11 26 23 18 — 78
University Heights Academy (0-1) — Crump 21, D. Quarles 16, Braxton 8, McGee 7, Q. Quarles 5, Grubbs 3
Paducah Tilghman (1-0) — Shaw 17, Brown 16, Fitzgerald 12, Goodwin 10, Marshall 8, Powell 6, Williams 5, Thomas 2, Keyes 2
