Visiting Paducah Tilghman steadily built up a double-digit advantage over the first three quarters on Tuesday and held off a late surge from University Heights on the way to a 78-64 victory.
The Blue Tornado has now won three of its last four to improve to 9-16 ahead of their regular-season finale at Ballard Memorial on Thursday.
KeShawn Moore scored eight of the Blazers’ 13 first-quarter points, but Aiden Forthman knocked down a pair of three-pointers to help Paducah Tilghman to an early seven-point advantage.
Moore and Jaiden Miles combined for 13 points in the second frame, but the Blue Tornado continued to extend the lead behind nine points from Max Russell.
Leading 43-31 to start the second half, Paducah Tilghman outscored the Blazers 21-9 to blow the game open. LaTarus Johnson scored six and Russell added five to provide the scoring punch for the Blue Tornado.
Moore followed a 15-point first half with 14 after the break to finish with a game-high 29 points. The Blazers trimmed 10 points of the margin in the fourth quarter, but the hole was too deep to climb out.
Paducah Tilghman had 11 players get in the scorebook, led by Russell with 15, JP Purdiman with 12, and Johnson with 10.
UHA slipped to 7-15 and will host Owensboro Catholic on Friday to close out the regular season.
Paducah Tilghman 20 23 21 14 — 78
University Heights 13 18 9 24 — 64
Paducah Tilghman (9-16) — Russell 15, Purdiman 12, Johnson 10, Carruthers 8, Lee 7, Forthman 6, Thompson 6, Arthur 4, Dabney 4, Jackson 3, Johnson 3
University Heights (7-15) — Moore 29, Miles 11, Sharber 5, Simmons 5, Vincent 5, Cavanah 3, McAfee 3, Quarles 3
