CULLMAN – Cullman will take plenty of momentum into next week's Holly Pond Thanksgiving Tournament after the Bearcats toppled West Point 66-47 Thursday night on the newly painted floor at Cullman High School.
Cullman scored its season high during the current win streak with balanced scoring as eight players got into the scoring column.
Guard Fletcher Reeling was feeling good with his shooting, especially after the Bearcats lost guard Seth Swalve to an eye injury with less than 3:00 to go in the first period.
Swalve caught an elbow in the face from a West Point player unintentional and had to be treated by a trainer to stop the bleeding. The UAH signee returned to the game with under a minute remaining in the quarter.
Reeling had eight in the opening period in which Cullman led 17-12 and scored three times from long distance during the second as the Bearcats moved the margin to double figures, 35-25, when the game reached halftime.
Swalve was back attacking the West Point defense with eight points in the third and one driving basket coming in the fourth. Supporting him was Gage Goodwin who would go six for six on the night at the foul line.
Coach Bobby Meyer's team took a 54-36 lead into the fourth and never allowed West Point to reduce the margin to less than 15 points.
Reeling delivered 21 to the total for the 3-1 Bearcats with Goodwin hitting for 15, Swalve collecting 14.
West Point fell to 1-3 with its second consecutive loss in a span of three days. Tanner Rusk had the hot hand for Randy Jones' Warriors with 19 points while Brandon Farley and Brady Kent contributed six.
Cullman gets Brindlee Mountain in round one of the Holly Pond Thanksgiving Tournament Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. at Felton Easterwood Gym. The Bearcats are in the same bracket of the 59th annual event with West Point and Arab. The Warriors and Knights will play at 5:30 p.m.
Cullman 71, West Point 42 (girls)
A season high in points, 2nd half points, fourth quarter scoring and field goals were produced by the Lady Bearcats, giving new coach Jessica Posey her first win on the Cullman High floor.
With Taiya Ponder and Christina Skinner getting 10 points each in the first half, the Lady Bearcats went on a 16-7 run to close out the first 16 minutes and headed to the locker room, leading 31-15.
That was the start. The second half saw Cullman outscore West Point 17-9 in the third and 23-18 in the fourth to put the game well out of reach.
Ponder and Anna Evans both netted 13 to guide balance scoring for the 2-3 Lady Bearcats. Skinner wound up with 12, Anna Bowden had 11, Elli Dixon nine and Madison Cobbs and Victoria Barkley six apiece.
West Point had a 23-point outing from reserve guard Olivia Ball as she scored 16 in the second half. But the rest of the offense was never in rhythm and John Welborn's Lady Warriors dropped to 1-3 on the season.
Cullman is off until December 1st when the play at Arab. West Point has a Friday night game at Hanceville and plays at Danville in the Thanksgiving Tournament Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Other Scores
Boys
West Point 47 – Cullman 66
St Bernard 55 – Meek 42
Cold Springs 75 – Walker 44
Good Hope 36 – Fairview 46
Holly Pond 80 – Darlington 63
Hanceville 71 – Dora 85
Girls
Cullman 71 – West Point 42
St Bernard 16 – Meek 46
Cold Springs 63 – Walker 55
Good Hope 38 – Fairview 44
Holly Pond 47 – Darlington 53
Hanceville 61 – Dora 56
