Union City’s boys’ basketball team had a big sendoff this morning in preparation for its state tournament trip to Murfreesboro.
The Golden Tornadoes and legions of Purple and Gold fans are hoping for an even bigger welcome-home party on Sunday when the tourney is completed.
A school system-wide pep rally packed Marty Sisco Gymnasium today before members of the Twister travel party departed for Middle Tennessee State University for the final stages of preparation for their Class 1A quarterfinal game against Chattanooga Prep on Wednesday at 4:00.
Before practicing at a local Murfreesboro high school tonight, the Union City team will attend Mr. Basketball ceremonies at the Murphy Center, hoping to hear star guard Malaki Brooks’ name called as the Single-A winner.
Brooks, whose averaged 28.5 ppg in helping the second-ranked Tornadoes to a 29-5 record and 17 consecutive victories, would be the fourth Union City High School player to win the prestigious award, joining Stanley Caldwell (twice), M.J. Brown (twice), and Marquis Weddle.
Hillcrest’s Jordan Allen and Jordan McCollum, of Harriman, are the other two Class 1A finalists.
The Union City boys’ program will be making its 20th appearance all-time in the state tourney and will seek its sixth championship to go along with a pair of runner-up finishes. The Tornadoes last made the Big Dance in 2015, placing second.
The Twisters have been dominant against Class A competition, winning 11 games by 30 or more points.
In addition to Brooks, senior Joseph Lattus and junior Ben Kail have been major contributors to Union City’s success with near double-figure points-per-game averages and timely tournament performances. Senior center Jack Tully has played arguably his best ball of the year in the postseason, and senior guard C.J. Davis has been a defensive stalwart for the squad, which hasn’t lost since Dec. 29 in the Pearl-Cohn Christmas Classic.
Union City will face a stern test against an athletic Chattanooga Prep (24-6) team that made it to the state semifinals last year in just its second year of program existence.
Like the Tornadoes, seventh-ranked Prep – an all-boys public charter school that opened in 2018 with a sixth-grade class – has been especially dominant of late, with 12 straight victories.
Derrick Roberson, a 6-4 guard, is widely-considered the Sentinels best player. He scored 23 points in both the regional championship and sectional games.
Point guard Eli Gaines (11 points, 4 assists per game) directs the Prep show, which features constant fullcourt pressure. Ta’Suade Williams is the team’s best defender, and the Sentinels recently got a big boost from 6-6 Joel Bullis, who returned in the Sectionals after missing the entire season and postseason with a torn ACL.
The two squads do have a common opponent, Hamilton Heights Academy of Chattanooga. HHA beat Union City 97-62 in the Dynamix Hoopfest in Jackson back on Dec. 9, while Prep lost to HHA 86-72 on Jan. 26 – its last defeat of the year.
The Union City-Chattanooga Prep winner will face the survivor of the Santa Fe-North Greene game in Friday’s 12:45 semifinals. The Class 1A championship game will be played Saturday afternoon at 1:30.
Tickets can be purchased on the GoFan app for $12 per day or at the door for $15.15.
(photos and story – Mike Hutchens – School Communications Director)
