Reach upends Magic City 113-105
May 28, 2005 - World Basketball Association (WBA)
Kentucky Reach News Release
Birmingham, Ala. â Miles College has become a mecca of winning for the Kentucky Reach.
Kentucky Reach, an Elizabethtown-based World Basketball Association franchise, notched its fourth victory of the season with a 113-105 triumph on Friday night. It was the Reach's second win on the Magic City Court Kings' home floor this season.
The Reach used several strong individual performances in snapping a three-game losing streak.
·Jared McCurry, a former Bellarmine University standout, scored a professional career high of 32 points, including 17 in the first half. The former Elizabethtown High School star connected on 11 of 14 free throws and also dished out a team-high five assists.
·James "Boo" Brewer, a standout at the University of Louisville and LaRue County native, exploded for 15 of his 17 points during a brilliant second-half performance.
·Gabriel Hughes, a 7-footer who played at California, recorded an impressive double-double with 13 points and a game-high 14 rebounds
·David Morris, a point guard who played at the University of Dayton, scored a season-high 17 points, including several clutch free throws down the stretch.
"Lots of guys stepped up and played well tonight," said Reach guard Jared McCurry. "It was a great team effort for us. Lots of guys contributed. We play (Magic City) again on Sunday at home, so hopefully this will be something we can build on. We need to put a winning streak together and build some momentum heading into the stretch run."
In what has proved to be an ongoing theme for Kentucky this season, the Reach had to dig itself out of an early deficit. Magic City built a 41-28 lead with 8:04 remaining in the second quarter, but the Reach closed the half with a 22-12 run to cut the deficit to three heading into the intermission.
The Reach got its first lead of the game (58-56) on a McCurry three-pointer with 10:03 remaining in the third quarter. The highlight of the third quarter was a sequence of three consecutive blocks within a 30-second span by Josh Grant, a 6-10 center from Georgetown College. The Reach maintained a 76-73 lead heading into the final stanza.
"Lots of guys did the little things that helped us to get over the hump," added McCurry. "We got some crucial blocks, assists and some timely defensive stops when we needed them."
The Reach led 80-73 after two free throws by Marshall Sanders, a chiseled 6-7 power forward from Kentucky Wesleyan, with 11:04 remaining in the third stanza. At the moment, it appeared Kentucky might cruise to a victory, but Magic City went on a 13-5 run over the next four minutes to regain the lead.
Trailing 86-85, the Reach put the clamps on the home-standing Court Kings over the game's final seven minutes. McCurry and Hughes combined to convert three of four free throws and then Brewer landed what ultimately proved to be the knockout punch. Leading 88-86, Hughes blocked a Magic City shot and Brewer drained a three-pointer at the other end with 5:57 remaining for a 91-86 lead. Twenty-four seconds later, Brewer canned another long-range three for a 94-87 lead.
"Boo got really hot, and when he gets like that, he can really do some damage," said McCurry, who assisted Brewer on two of the successful three-pointers.
Magic City never got closer than four points the rest of the way as McCurry and Morris combined to hit six of eight free throws down the stretch with Magic City forced to foul during the game's waning moments.
The Reach (4-11) will host Magic City on Sunday at Central Hardin High School's Bruin Gymnasium. Tip-off is set for 2:05 p.m.
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