The University Heights Academy Blazers are headed back to the 2nd Region All A Classic championship game and will have the chance to defend their title. The Blazers earned their way back into the championship game with a 75-43 win over the Dawson Springs Panthers Friday night in Marion.
The Blazers used one of their lightning-quick runs to take control of the game early in the second quarter and pulled away from the Panthers. UHA would score the first 12 points of the second quarter and effectively deliver the knockout blow to the Panthers’ hopes of pulling off the upset.
After struggling to get the ball in the basket Tuesday night at Heritage Christian, the shots began to fall early and often Friday night for the Blazers against the purple-clad Panthers from Dawson Springs.
After falling behind 5-2 to start, UHA got things going and went on a 10-2 run to take a 12-7 lead and it was a lead they would never give back. The Blazers got big starts from Gavin Grubbs, Quinton Quarles, Elijah Walton, and Tylin George as they took a 21-14 lead after the first eight minutes of the night.
Dawson Springs got some big three-point shooting from Jaydon Plunkette to keep them close early in the game. But even that outside shooting for Plunkette could not diffuse what happened in the second quarter.
The run to open the second put UHA up 33-14 and the pace was set for the rest of the half. UHA knocked down seven from behind the arc, just three nights after it felt like the basket had a lid at the Blazers’ end of the court at Heritage Christian Academy.
And, as typical so far this season for the Blazers, their defense helped generate offense, and the pressure began to take full effect against the Panthers in the second quarter, as the Blazers took a 48-20 lead into the break.
Four Blazers had at least seven points at the half with Gavin Grubbs (16), Tylin George (14), Elijah Walton (8), and Quinton Quarles (7) leading the way.
University Heights scored the first seven points of the second half to extend the lead out to 35 at 55-20 and bring the running clock into play for the rest of the night.
From that point, the game played out quickly. The Blazers led 59-33 after three quarters and rode it on out to the final 32-point win.
Gavin Grubbs led four Blazers in double figures with 20. Tylin George added 14, all in the first half. Elijah Walton added 12 and Quinton Quarles finished with 10.
Rex Blue was the only player to reach double figures for Dawson Springs with 15 points. Deacon Dever and Jaydon Plunkette scored nine points each. Plunkette’s all came in the first half.
Dawson Springs sees their record drop to 9-8 on the year. The Panthers are scheduled to travel to Community Christian on Monday.
The Blazers improved to 11-3 with the win, which was their sixth in a row and the eighth in their last nine games. UHA will move on to the region title game on Saturday evening at 5:00 in Marion.
DSHS — 14 6 13 10 – 43
UHA — 21 27 11 16 – 75
Dawson Springs – Blue 15, Dever 9, Plunkette 9, Johnston 6, Fain 3, Bourland 1
University Heights – Grubbs 20, George 14, Walton 12, Quarles 10, Baker 6, Cherry 4, Pollard 4, Smiley 3, Haurett 2
