HANCEVILLE, Ala. – The second and final matchup of the Cullman County Tournament Wednesday night was another tight one featuring a battle between the Eagles of Vinemont and Cold Springs. There were 15 lead changes through the first three quarters until Cold Springs moved ahead midway through the third and never looked back, pulling away and earning a 55-38 win over Vinemont.
A pair of free throws and an inside basket from Tanner Kilgo put Cold Springs ahead 4-0 early and after a free throw by Toby Hill on the other end, Brody Peppers laid one in to make it a 6-1 game. Kix Johnson buried a three-pointer to cut the lead to two and Hill put one in off the glass to tie things up at 6. Johnson dropped in a floater to give Vinemont an 8-6 lead with less than two minutes to play in the first, but Seth Williams answered with a three on the other end to put Cold Springs back in front 9-8. Colby Miller then drove to the basket and scored with 20 seconds on the clock and gave Vinemont a 10-9 lead going into the second quarter.
The second quarter was a true back and forth affair. The lead changed hands seven times and the score was knotted at 18 late in the period before back to back Kilgo baskets gave Cold Springs a 22-18 lead with just over 10 seconds on the clock. However, Johnson was able to take big chunk out of that lead with a deep three-pointer at the buzzer and make it a 22-21 game at the break.
Hill and Williams traded baskets to start the third quarter and Vinemont moved back in front 25-24. Free throws from Peppers and Williams allowed Cold Springs to retake a 28-25 lead but Hill split a pair of free throws and Johnson laid one in to tie the game at 28. That’s when Cold Springs was able to create some separation. Back to back scores by Kilgo gave Cold Springs a 32-28 lead and baskets from Cody Bales and Peppers in the final two minutes of the period gave them a 36-28 advantage going into the fourth quarter.
Peppers netted a pair of free throws to extend the Cold Springs lead to 10 early in the final period and Williams scored on the next possession to stretch the lead to 12. Hill laid one in on the other end to cut the lead back to 10 but another basket from Bales and a three by Williams put Cold Springs up 45-30 midway through the fourth. Peppers and Bales each scored to add to the lead with just over two minutes remaining and with time running down, Cold Springs went on to win it 55-38.
Peppers, Williams and Kilgo each posted 14 points for Cold Springs in the win. Johnson led Vinemont with 13 points and Hill finished with 10. Cold Springs will advance to play Hanceville in the varsity boys’ semifinals Friday night at 7:30 p.m.
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