It was the most entertaining game of the first day of the Paducah Tilghman Christmas Tournament, featured talented players at both ends of the court. Paducah Tilghman used a strong third quarter to get to a double digit lead, and then held off the UHA Blazers and KyKy Tandy 88-80.
The game was up tempo and high energy from the opening tip to the closing buzzer. Paducah Tilghman got out to a 24-19 lead after the first quarter. The Blazers scored the first six points of the second quarter to take a 25-24 lead. Tilghman then rallied with a 12-5 run to go back in front 36-30. The Blue Tornado would go into the halftime break holding a 40-36 lead.
In the second half, the two teams continued to move up and down the court at a fast pace. Tilghman opened the third quarter on an 8-4 spurt to increase the lead to 48-40. A lead that would hold up until the end of the quarter, which found Tilghman in front 67-59.
The Blazers, fueled by a huge night from KyKy Tandy, would pull as close as 3 at 73-70, but could never get back to the lead, as the Blue Tornado held on for the 88-80 win.
UHA was led by KyKy Tandy with 48 points, 33 of them coming in the second half. Malik Lovan added 12, while K.J. Crump had 10. Tilghman was led by Rodriguez Thomas with 30, and Jerome Reed with 21.
UHA moves on to the third place game Friday afternoon at 4:15, where they will take on the Mayfield Cardinals.
