HANCEVILLE, Ala. – The Hanceville Bulldogs were home at Lane Horton Gymnasium to host Gardendale Tuesday night but unfortunately for the home crowd, the Rockets were the ones who left with the win. The Bulldogs went back and forth with Gardendale for four quarters, but the Rockets managed to pull away in the final minutes and come away with an 80-69 win over Hanceville.
The score was tight for most of the opening period, but Bulldog guards Zach Campbell and Brayden Harris combined to score 14 of Hanceville’s 16 points in the first quarter and gave the Dogs a 16-15 lead going into the second.
Tristan Herrera drilled a three-pointer early in the second quarter to put Hanceville in front 20-17 and after a run from the Rockets, Carson Garrett scored back to back baskets to cut the lead to 26-24 midway through the period. Will Calvert laid one in to tie the game at 26 and Harris drained a three to keep the score knotted at 29 with two minutes remaining in the first half. Calvert and Harris each scored again to put the Bulldogs in front 33-32 with just under a minute to play in the second and after another Calvert basket, Konner Helms laid one in at the buzzer to stretch Hanceville’s lead to 37-34 at the break.
Another run by the Rockets gave them a lead early in the third quarter but a basket by Calvert made it a 42-41 game. Gardendale continued to pull ahead but scores by Garrett and Braxton Broad cut the lead to five midway through the third. A Drew Campbell layup made it a 57-50 game with less than two minutes to play in the period and Noah Jones scored on back to back possessions to trim the lead to three. The Bulldogs went into the fourth quarter trailing 60-54.
Calvert scored seven straight points for Hanceville to start the final frame and cut the lead to 66-61. Campbell scored inside and knocked down a pair of free throws to bring the Bulldogs within three points of the lead, but the Rockets responded with an 8-0 run to build a 76-65 lead with just under two minutes on the clock. Calvert and Garrett were both able to score again but the Dogs ran out of time before they could mount a comeback and fell to Gardendale at home 80-69.
Campbell and Calvert each posted 16 points for Hanceville in the loss. Harris finished with 12 and Garrett added nine. The Bulldogs’ next game will be at Good Hope Jan. 7.
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