After losing for the first time in four outings last time out at Paducah Tilghman, the University Heights Academy boys’ basketball team bounced back in a big way with an 88-41 victory over visiting Heritage Christian on Saturday.
The Blazers had to wait until the fourth quarter to pull away in the teams’ first meeting, but after trading three-pointers to open the game, UHA took control with a 24-5 run behind 11 first-quarter points for Gavin Grubbs. Back-to-back threes by Devin Cherry and Que Quarles made it 23-8 before Kyler Baker scored on a putback and Grubbs closed the quarter with a steal and layup to stretch the lead to 19 points.
A 15-0 run to start the second frame made it 42-8 before Jason Leek scored on a putback for the Warriors. Jay Simpson and Cash Bolinger connected on three-pointers on consecutive possessions for HCA, but UHA capped a 6-0 run with an Elijah Walton dunk to lead 55-18 at the halftime break.
Grubbs opened the second half with a triple for a 40-point cushion, and Quarles and Matthew Hauret combined for 11 in the third to make it 86-30 with a quarter to play.
Grubbs led all scorers with 25, including four three-pointers, followed by Quarles with 14 points. Baker and Walton each finished with 10, and Cherry knocked down three from behind the arc to score nine.
Jason Leek was the lone Warrior in double figures with 17. HCA lost for the third time in four games to slip to 14-14 ahead of a trip to Christian Fellowship on Thursday to wrap up the regular season.
UHA improved to 19-6 with its fourth win in five outings with Hopkins Central set to visit on Monday.
Heritage Christian 8 10 12 11 — 41
University Heights 27 28 31 2 — 88
Heritage Christian (14-14) — Leek 17, Bolinger 7, Westerfield 5, Higgins 4, Arvin 3, Simpson 3, Wells 2
University Heights (19-6) — Grubbs 25, Quarles 14, Baker 10, Walton 10, Cherry 9, Hauret 8, Northington 5, Pollard 5, Thomas 2
