BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Visiting Branford whittled a 17-point deficit down to five, but the Union County High School boys basketball team maintained its lead to remain undefeated, getting 23 points from Jaylen Pierre in a 67-59 win on Dec. 13.
A basket by Branford’s Arkayvion Jones made it a 62-57 game with less than 40 seconds to play. In the final 22 seconds, Pierre went 3 of 4 from the foul line and scored off a turnover to help the Tigers improve to 4-0 on the season.
The Buccaneers (1-3) took an early 9-3 lead before Union scored seven straight points, getting a three-pointer from Garrison Smith and two baskets from Tyrese Chandler.
A drive to the basket by Pierre tied the score at 14-14 early in the second quarter. R.J. Odom Jr. then scored to give the Tigers the lead for good.
Odom’s basket was the start of a 17-6 run. After Smith made two free throws, Pierre dribbled the length of the court and scored to put the Tigers up 20-14. Smith hit a jumper in the lane before Branford’s Anthony Washington sank a three-point shot. Pierre answered with a three-pointer of his own and then scored of an Adrian Manns steal to give Union a 10-point lead. Pierre and Smith each had a 1-of-2 trip at the foul line, while Odom scored on a drive to the basket, putting the Tigers ahead 31-20.
Pierre had 14 points in the second quarter as Union took a 36-27 lead into the half.
The Tigers scored the first eight points of the third quarter. Montrell Woods got a basket following a turnover, while Chandler scored off a Pierre assist. Odom sank two free throws before Pierre added a basket to make the score 44-27.
Branford started the second half 0-of-6 from the field before Anthony Bailey made a three-point shot.
Chandler, who scored six points in the third quarter, began the fourth quarter with a basket on which he was fouled. He made the awarded free throw to put the Tigers up 54-37.
The Bucs scored six straight points to cut Union’s lead to 11, but the Tigers then got consecutive baskets from Jackson Andersen-Davis and Pierre.
Branford went on a 9-1 run that included three-pointers by Washington and Braden Strait. A Washington layup made the score 59-52 before the Tigers’ Smith knocked down a three-point shot with 1:23 remaining.
The Bucs turned the ball over with 1:07 left, but a missed shot by Union was rebounded by Branford’s Bailey, who would then knock down a three-point shot on the offensive end. Washington came away with a backcourt steal and was fouled on a shot attempt with 42 seconds on the clock. He missed both free throws but the Bucs rebounded the second miss, which led to Jones’ basket, making it a five-point game.
Pierre made two free-throw attempts with 22 seconds left. He then scored on a layup after the Tigers forced a turnover.
Jones made Branford’s last basket with eight seconds remaining. The Bucs then fouled Pierre, who made 1 of 2 free-throw attempts with two seconds remaining for the game’s final point.
Smith and Chandler finished with 16 and 13 points for the Tigers, who also got eight points from Odom, three points from Woods and two points each from Andersen-Davis and Manns.
Manns led the team in rebounds with nine, while Chandler grabbed six. Andersen-Davis and Woods each had five rebounds.
Odom and Pierre dished out seven and six assists, respectively.
Smith had five steals to go along with three assists.
Union entered the game off a 72-55 win over visiting Fort White on Dec. 12.
The Tigers got off to a fast start against a team that was a Rural Class state semifinalist last season, scoring 22 points to the Indians’ five. Union led by 22 points at the half.
Chandler was on fire from the field, making 11 of 15 field-goal attempts to finish with 30 points. The Tigers also got 12 points from Smith, nine points from Pierre, six points each from Odom and Erick Lasseter, five points from Manns and four points from Woods.
Manns blocked five shots and grabbed 15 rebounds, while Chandler, Lasseter, Odom and Pierre each had five rebounds.
Smith led the team in assists with eight, while Odom and Pierre had six and four, respectively.
The Tigers host Dixie County on Monday, Dec. 15, at 7:30 p.m. ,following a junior varsity boys game at 4:30 p.m. and a varsity girls game at 6 p.m. Union will travel to Starke to play Bradford on Friday, Dec. 19, at 7:30 p.m., following a JV game at 6 p.m.
