Unaka wasn’t going to be denied.
The No. 3 Rangers upended No. 2 University High 67-66 after Mason Wilson scored with 10 seconds remaining in the District 1-A semifinals on Saturday at West Ridge High School.
With the win, the Rangers advanced to Tuesday’s District 1-A Championship game against North Greene. Unaka also secured a home quarterfinal game in the Region 1-A quarterfinal.
It was a back-and-forth battle in the open quarter as UH held a 15-11 lead after a quarter of play. The Bucs pushed the lead out to 12 points in the second quarter, but Unaka battled back as John Hardin and Aiden Walsh combined for a 7-3 run to close the gap to 42-30 at the half.
Hardin and the Rangers came out of the locker room hot to start the second half.
Unaka saw Hardin score 11 straight points before Walsh added a bucket to cap a 13-2 run to take a 45-42 lead midway through the quarter. UH answered with a quick 8-2 run, but Austin Lambert and Walsh hit back-to-back shots to lift Unaka back into the lead.
The Bucs used a pair of free throws to take a 52-51 lead after three complete quarters.
The fourth quarter was a heavyweight fight.
The teams traded shots and the lead throughout the quarter. Unaka saw TJ Good and Wilson hit key shots in the quarter to take a 64-63 lead into the final minute.
After Hardin added a free throw to give the Rangers a 65-63 lead, Patty Boynewicz hit a 3-pointer with 22 seconds left to lift the Bucs into a 66-65 lead.
Unaka wasn’t phased as Wilson scored on a short shot with 10 seconds left to take the win.
Hardin scored 30 points to lead Unaka, while Walsh had 10 points. Wilson and Lambert scored nine points apiece.
Andrew Cole led UH with 23 points. Brady Weems added 12 points.
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