The University Heights Academy girls’ basketball team jumped out to a quick start in their first game of 2018, but ultimately fell 61-55 to visiting McClean County on Tuesday night. The Lady Blazers are now 4-7, while the Lady Cougars improve to 10-4 and have won three straight after a two-game losing streak.
UHA jumped out to a 7-0 lead, capped off by a layup by senior guard Anshanique Leavell, but the Lady Cougars responded with a run of their own to take an 8-7 lead. The teams traded baskets for the remainder of the first quarter, with the Lady Blazers holding a 14-13 advantage after the first eight minutes.
The second quarter was back and forth as well, until with 2:33 to play until the halftime break, McLean County came out of a timeout leading 19-18 and went on a 6-2 run to take a 25-20 lead at the halfway mark. Leavell led the Lady Blazers with 14 points, including 10 in the first quarter, followed by sophomore guard Lily Hendricks with 6.
Hendricks opened the third quarter with a three-pointer to pull to within 25-23, but with two minutes gone the Lady Cougars were back up by 6 at 29-23. Two Leavell free throws cut the lead to 1 at 29-28, but McLean County stormed back with a 7-0 run to take a 36-28 lead with 3:03 left in the third. With 25 seconds left, Leavell went coast-to-coast for a layup and foul, knocking down the free throw to cut the lead to 42-40. UHA had two shots just before the third-quarter buzzer to tie the game, but came up empty.
UHA finally pulled even just under a minute into the final quarter, when Leavell stepped to the line and sank two free throws to knot it up at 42. With 5:15 left to play, Hendricks knocked down a three to give the Lady Blazers their first lead since the end of the first quarter at 45-43. At 2:00, UHA called a timeout with the game tied at 54, but from there they would be outscored 7-1 and go on to lose 61-55.
Leavell was the leading scorer for UHA with 30, followed by Hendricks with 19, including 13 in the second half and 9 in the fourth quarter. Junior guard Alex Juckett scored 4, all in the second half, and senior center Naliscya Hall chipped in a basket.
The Lady Blazers are back in action on Friday, when they go on the road to face Madisonville-North Hopkins (3-8).
