With University Heights Academy playing with a short bench, Caldwell County’s girls ran a lot of players at the Lady Blazers Tuesday night.
The Lady Tigers were able to wear down UHA while also getting a balanced offensive attack in a 59-38 decision in Blazer Gym in the regular-season opener for both squads.
Senior Presley McKinney scored a team-high 16 points and hit a pair of key 3-pointers that help turn a close game midway through the second quarter into a 31-18 Caldwell lead at halftime.
With the game knotted 18-18, McKinney got a friendly bounce on a 3-pointer from the right side. The next trip down, she swished a 3 from the left corner. That started a 13-0 run to finish the first half and put Caldwell in the lead for good.
The Lady Tigers extended the margin to 41-20 on a 3-pointer by A.J. Hollowell midway through the third quarter.
UHA got no closer than 15 the rest of the way.
Caldwell’s biggest lead of the night came at 59-36 when KaMyiah “Tink” Clark banked in a runner in the lane with 1:16 left in the game.
Hollowell and Nyla Sykes each recorded double-doubles with 11 points and 11 rebounds apiece for Caldwell. Clark finished with eight points while KeDarriah Thompson grabbed 13 rebounds to go with two points.
The Lady Tigers pulled down 64 rebounds as a team — the fourth-most in school history. The record is 74 in a district tournament win over Trigg County in March of 1976.
University Heights got 21 points from Alicia Davis while Amarya Bass had 11 points.
Tuesday’s game was tied five times early and featured seven lead changes.
Caldwell has won its last four matchups with UHA and holds a 16-8 advantage in the all-time series.
Both teams will be in action again on Friday.
Caldwell’s girls head to Union County that night while University Heights will visit Lyon County.
Caldwell County 14 17 13 15 — 59
University Heights 11 7 9 11 — 38
Caldwell County (1-0)—McKinney 16, Hollowell 11, Sykes 11, Clark 8, Thomas 5, Ortt 4, Thompson 2, Williams 2.
University Heights Academy (0-1)—Davis 21, Bass 11, Dilday 3, Quarles 3.
