UNION SPRINGS - Not much went wrong in Union Springs Friday night.

Sure, the national anthem was slightly delayed and the Wolves lost the opening tip, but for the next 31:48 the ninth-seeded Tioga boys basketball team didn't come within a continent of upsetting No. 1 Union Springs.

Nick Schooley picked David Ulrich's pocket and took it coast-to-coast on the Tioga's opening possession as the Wolves doubled up the Tigers 56-28 in the Section IV, Class C quarterfinal. Union Springs plays the winner of No. 5 Groton and No. 4 Walton at a neutral site on Tuesday.

“I thought we defended pretty well,” said Wolves coach Tim Darnell. “Nick Schooley pressured real well and got a couple of steals and that got us going.”

“We just went out and ran,” said Wolves' forward Julius McClary. “We thought we could out-run them and we did.”

It was a nightmarish experience for the Tigers (10-11), who found themselves in an 8-0 hole before two minutes had elapsed. Tioga had no answer for a Wolves' (18-3) defense that disrupted any rhythm it got in.

“We've been stressing that you've got to play ‘D,'” Darnell said. “The teams that win play defense and that's what you've got to do.”

The Wolves were in the face of every ball-handler.

By the time Union Springs built a 31-9 halftime lead, McClary had blocked five shots.

Offensively, the Wolves were content to kick it around until a favorable shot presented itself.

The inside game was key, but Union Springs opened up the outside game by intermission and knocked down four three-pointers in the third quarter.

“It didn't matter who it was,” said Tioga coach David Reese of Union Springs' shooters. “They were all dangerous. They start coming out on the perimeter and you forget about the inside game then McClary is going to score.”

“I thought our ball movement was the best it's been in weeks,” Darnell said. “We got wide-open looks at the rim and we made them. The kids really played together real well. Their passing was the best I've seen it.”

McClary and Schooley led all scorers with 13 points apiece, while Devon Brady added 11. All of the Tigers were held to single digits.

With Friday's game looking like a postseason tune-up rather than a sectional quarterfinal, it goes without saying that Tuesday's tilt will prevent much more of a challenge.

The Wolves have beaten the Indians twice already this season and the Warriors are chock-full of athletes.

Walton is ranked 12th in the state (Union Springs is 16th) and won the Class D title in football last fall.

No matter whom the opponent, the Wolves are ready to dig in.

“We are prepared for the long haul,” Darnell said. “We have one goal and that's to play in the finals and to win the finals. We know everybody from here on in is good and we're going to have to play our best basketball.

“We've been to the finals, we've won things but our goal is to win the sectional title. And we're not losing track of that.”

Count Reese as a believer.

“They're going to go along way in sectionals,” he said. “I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out.”