BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Union County High School scored 19 of the game’s first 23 points and had three players finish with at least 10 points in a 49-33 win over visiting Fort White in a District 6-Rural tournament semifinal game on Feb. 5.
The second seed Tigers (14-7) will travel to play top seed Trenton (22-4) for the championship on Saturday, Feb. 7, at 6 p.m.
A three-pointer by Jaylen Pierre sparked a 13-0 run by the Tigers. Montrell Woods scored consecutive baskets off offensive rebounds. He was fouled on the second basket, adding the free throw to put Union up by eight. Woods later added another score, while Garrison Smith knocked down a three-pointer to give the Tigers a 15-2 lead.
Two free throws each from Smith and Adrian Manns put Union up 19-4.
Tyrese Chandler had consecutive baskets late in the second quarter to help send the Tigers into halftime leading 25-14.
The third seed Indians (7-13) scored the first seven points of the third quarter to make it a four-point game. Union didn’t score until approximately three minutes remained in the quarter, getting a basket from Chandler. Chandler was also fouled on the play, making the awarded free throw to make it a 28-21 game.
Darion Brinson made a three-point shot for Fort White, but the Tigers then got two free throws and a rebound putback from Manns for an eight-point Union lead. Brinson had a basket for the Indians with 26 seconds remaining in the third quarter, but a Chandler basket off an offensive rebound sent Union into the final quarter with a 34-26 lead.
Manns scored six points in the fourth quarter to finish with a team-high 12.
Chandler and Smith had 11 and 10 points, respectively, while the Tigers also got nine points from Woods, five points from Pierre and two points from Jackson Andersen-Davis.
