PLEASANTON — Top-seeded Uniontown High’s Eagles cruised past Altoona-Midway High’s Jets 70-17 Tuesday to open the 2012 Pleasanton High Blu-Jays Mid-Season Tournament.
Humboldt High’s Cubs rolled to a 60-38 victory over Jayhawk-Linn High’s Jayhawks in the opening round. Crest High’s Lancers got upended by Prairie View High’s Buffalos 69-63 in overtime.
Uniontown and Humboldt move into Thursday’s semifinals at Pleasanton. Crest goes to the consolation side.
Uniontown (8-2) and Humboldt (6-3) face off in one semifinal. Crest (5-3) takes on Pleasanton, which lost 88-39 to Central Heights Tuesday, in the consolation bracket.
Game times for Thursday’s action were not determined by press time.
The championship game is 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the north gym at Pleasanton. Teams in the third-place game play at 4 p.m. Saturday in the south gym.
“I thought all our kids played hard and contributed tonight,” said Nathan Hinrichs, Eagle head coach.
Hinrichs saw his team build a 20-2 lead by the end of one quarter. It had a commanding 46-12 halftime lead.
Brenton Esslinger ripped the nets for 22 points for the Eagles. Zach Travis added 18 points. Nine other Eagle players scored in the game.
Andy DeNoon had eight points and Drake Busteed seven for the Jets.
HUMBOLDT’S Tanner McNutt heated the nylons from long range. McNutt drained five three-pointers in the first half, helping to set up the Cubs’ 36-19 halftime advantage.
“We shot the ball very well tonight. The kids executed well against their 2-3 zone,” said David Taylor, Cub head coach. “Tanner’s threes really helped open things up for us inside.”
McNutt finished with 23 points. Humboldt’s inside guy — Noah Thornbrugh — ended up 16 points and seven rebounds.
Humboldt shot 46.5 percent, 20 of 43, from the field. The Cubs hit as many free throws as the Jayhawks shot in the game. Humboldt was 15 of 23 and Jayhawk-Linn went 6 of 15.
