In a thriller, Unaka extended its season.
The No. 4 Rangers outlasted No. 5 Cloudland to take a 57-48 victory in the District 1-A Tournament play-in game at West Ridge on Monday night.
Unaka advanced to the semifinals where they will take on No 1 Hampton at 6:30p on Friday night. With the win, the Rangers also secured a spot in the Region 1-A tournament.
Unaka had control early on.
Landon Ramsey scored back-to-back baskets while Mason Wilson hit a 3-pointer to give Unaka a 7-0 lead. Ryan Sexton answered for Cloudland with back-to-back shots, but Unaka ended the quarter on a 6-0 run to take a 13-4 lead into the second.
The teams traded shots throughout the second quarter as Cloudland trimmed a double-digit lead to seven points with buckets from Cayden Clarke and Nick Caraway.
Unaka maintained a 25-17 lead at the break.
Cloudland’s Eli Morgan and Ramsey traded shots at the start of the second half, and the teams traded runs as Unaka maintained a 37-29 advantage after Joe-Z Blamo hit a shot from beyond the halfcourt line.
In the fourth quarter, Cloudland continued to battle with key shots, but Unaka was able to secure the win in the closing stages at the free-throw line.
Unaka’s Ramsey finished with 20 points. Joe-Z Blamo had 19 points, while Marcus Shomaker finished with nine points.
Caraway tallied 13 points to pace CHS, and Clarke had 10 points for Cloudland. Sexton finished with nine points. Morgan scored seven points.
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