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Turns out the University Heights Academy Blazers are pretty good at this travel thing. The Blazers completed would have to be considered a successful trip out west with a 58-43 win over Durango in the 5th place game of the Gatorade bracket in the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas.
The Blazers went 3-1 in the tournament with their only loss a tough 58-51 loss to Maranatha in the bracket quarterfinals. And, by the way, Maranatha would go on to win the Gatorade bracket championship.
In the fifth-place game Thursday, Gavin Grubbs and Quinton Quarles helped get the Blazers off to a good start. The duo combined for 11 first-quarter points as UHA led 17-12 after one.
UHA’s offense kept things rolling along in the second quarter as the Blazers put up 20 points and extended the lead to 37-22 at the half. Quarles, along with Tylin George and Elijah Walton had big quarters for the Blazers.
The pace of the game slowed significantly in the second half as the Blazers scored only four field goals after the break, all by Elijah Walton. However, the Blazers did knock down 13 of 22 at the line to close out the final 16 minutes.
Elijah Walton led three Blazers in double figures with 18. Quinton Quarles had 14 points and Gavin Grubbs added 13 more. Tylin George just missed out with 8 points.
UHA (7-3) is now off until January 6 when they will take on Pearl-Cohn in the City of Hopkinsville Classic.
UHA — 17 20 12 9 – 58
DHS — 12 10 12 9 – 43
University Heights – Walton 18, Quarles 14, Grubbs 13, George 8, Hauret 3, Baker 2
Durango – Wells 14, Merron 8, McDaniels 5, Coebru 4, Chavez 3, Bowen 3, Mitchell 2, Gomez 2, Rodgers 2
