CULLMAN, Ala. – After defeating Decatur Tuesday night, the Bearcats returned home Friday night to host the Hartselle Tigers in this year’s 6A, Area 14 Championship Game. It was a back and forth affair throughout the first half but Cullman clamped down defensively in the second, outscoring the Tigers 26-11 in the final two periods and pulling away to win their first area championship since 2016. Head Coach Stu Stuedeman is proud of the way his guys adjusted and locked down defensively in the second half. Stuedeman is excited about what his team has been able to accomplish this season but he and the Bearcats plan on winning more hardware before the year is done.
“Kudos to Hartselle, they came out and balled. They exploited some of our miscues on defense and we haven’t had this problem all year but what we did was we had to stop trapping them. We stopped trapping them and stopped giving them angles and we just wore them down in the second half. Those shots became harder and harder and they’re not as deep as we are, so we just ran bodies at them and played a great second half defensively,” Stuedeman said. “We just have to stay healthy and keep playing hard. We’re a really good basketball team and there’s always room for improvement but the biggest key for us will just be staying locked in and focused. This isn’t the end for us. We have bigger aspirations.”
The ‘Cats got off to a fast start, pulling ahead 5-0 after a three-pointer from Garrison Sharpe and a basket by Nate Zills. Tucker Cagle scored inside to keep Cullman in front 7-5 and threes from Jamar Kay and Colton Echols kept the Bearcats ahead 15-13 midway through the first quarter. The Tigers managed to take an 18-17 lead later in the period, but Tucker Gambrill drained a three-pointer from the top of the key with 20 seconds remaining in the first and retook a 20-18 lead for the black and gold going into the second.
Kay and Max Gambrill each knocked down a trey early in the second quarter to give Cullman a 26-21 lead and after an answer from the Tigers, Sharpe finished an and-one play at the line to keep the Bearcats in front 30-27 midway through the period. Kay sank another three-pointer after that to make it a 33-29 game and Colton Echols scored a quick basket off a turnover to make it 35-29. Kay’s third three-pointer of the game gave the ‘Cats a 38-32 lead with a minute to play in the half but Hartselle was able to cut the lead to 38-37 by the end of the first half.
A pair of Cagle buckets put Cullman in front 42-37 at the start of the third quarter and Tucker Gambrill netted another three-pointer to make it 45-37. Max Gambrill added another deep three to extend the lead to 48-39 midway through the third and a basket by Tucker Apel made it a 50-42 game with two minutes left in the period. Apel wasn’t done, and he laid one in with just two seconds on the clock to send the Bearcats into the fourth quarter with a 52-42 lead.
Another Cagle basket and a pair of free throws from Max Gambrill made it a 56-46 game early in the final period and Cullman was able to smother the Tigers on the defensive end throughout the final frame. The Bearcats continued to knock down shots at the free throw line and Hartselle wasn’t able to get anything going on the offensive end, allowing the ‘Cats to pull away and win it 64-48, capturing their first area title since 2016 in the process.
Kay and Max Gambrill each posted 12 points for Cullman in the win. Cagle and Gambrill each added 11 and Apel finished with six. The Bearcats will be back home Tuesday night to host Clay-Chalkville in the Sub-Regional.
All-Area Tournament Team selections
Tucker Gambrill – MVP
Tucker Apel
Garrison Sharpe
Jamar Kay
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