University Prep Holds Off Finney
By: Thad Brown
Updated: March 5, 2013
Marique Simkin broke a tie midway through the 4th quarter with five
straight points and University Prep held on for a 67-61 win over C.G.
Finney in the Class D state qualifier Tuesday night at Webster Thomas.
The game was tight throughout. UPrep created some space late in the third quarter with a 10-2 run to go up 50-42.
However, Tom Slattery beat the 3rd quarter buzzer with a three pointer and that got Finney started. The Falcons opened the 4th on a 10-4 run, taking a one point lead on Slattery's putback.
The Griffins tied on a free throw and then Simkin asserted himself. He went the length of the floor for a layup and the foul to give Prep a 58-55 lead. On the next possession, he made a short baseline floater, pushing the lead to five.
Cameron Myles made a layup for the Griffins as the lead bulged to seven, but Slattery came up huge again with a corner three to bring Finney within 62-58 at the 1:26 mark.
The next possession is where the outcome was sealed. UPrep held the ball outside, draining nearly 30 seconds off the 35-second clock before attacking. Jordan Marshall still was able to squeeze between the baseline and a Finney defender for a tough reverse layup that made the score 64-58.
Finney could not score on the next possession and UPrep made enough free throws to never be threatened again.
Myles led the Griffins with 18 points and 12 rebounds, but credit goes in many directions for this win. Marshall finished with 14 points and ten boards. Simkin had 14, five steals and four assists. Five-foot-four point guard Brandon Hunt even chipped in with 12 points, six assists and three steals.
This is the first season of University Prep basketball and not one player on the team is older than a sophomore. Hunt is a freshman. Simkin is in 8th grade.
Chris Davidson led all scorers with 25 points for Finney and was, as expected, a stud all night long. Not usually a main cog in the Finney offense, Slattery scored 16 points and was the Falcons' most clutch shooter in the second half. Otis Brown was solid, contributing 15 points.
University Prep moves on to the state quarterfinals. They will play the Class D representative from Buffalo's Section Six at 1pm Saturday at Blue Cross Arena.
The game was tight throughout. UPrep created some space late in the third quarter with a 10-2 run to go up 50-42.
However, Tom Slattery beat the 3rd quarter buzzer with a three pointer and that got Finney started. The Falcons opened the 4th on a 10-4 run, taking a one point lead on Slattery's putback.
The Griffins tied on a free throw and then Simkin asserted himself. He went the length of the floor for a layup and the foul to give Prep a 58-55 lead. On the next possession, he made a short baseline floater, pushing the lead to five.
Cameron Myles made a layup for the Griffins as the lead bulged to seven, but Slattery came up huge again with a corner three to bring Finney within 62-58 at the 1:26 mark.
The next possession is where the outcome was sealed. UPrep held the ball outside, draining nearly 30 seconds off the 35-second clock before attacking. Jordan Marshall still was able to squeeze between the baseline and a Finney defender for a tough reverse layup that made the score 64-58.
Finney could not score on the next possession and UPrep made enough free throws to never be threatened again.
Myles led the Griffins with 18 points and 12 rebounds, but credit goes in many directions for this win. Marshall finished with 14 points and ten boards. Simkin had 14, five steals and four assists. Five-foot-four point guard Brandon Hunt even chipped in with 12 points, six assists and three steals.
This is the first season of University Prep basketball and not one player on the team is older than a sophomore. Hunt is a freshman. Simkin is in 8th grade.
Chris Davidson led all scorers with 25 points for Finney and was, as expected, a stud all night long. Not usually a main cog in the Finney offense, Slattery scored 16 points and was the Falcons' most clutch shooter in the second half. Otis Brown was solid, contributing 15 points.
University Prep moves on to the state quarterfinals. They will play the Class D representative from Buffalo's Section Six at 1pm Saturday at Blue Cross Arena.
