CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman Bearcats were back on their home court for the final time this season Tuesday night, hosting the Cougars of Clay-Chalkville for a Sub-Regional battle. With a spot in the Northwest Regional on the line, the Bearcats did what they’ve done most of this year and knocked off the Cougars 68-50 to advance.
Baskets by Tucker Apel and Tucker Gambrill gave the Bearcats a quick, 4-2 lead over the Cougars and Max Gambrill drained a three-pointer to make it a 7-2 game early in the first. Sam Duskin followed with a three of his own to add to the lead and a Tucker Cagle basket kept Cullman in front 12-6 with two minutes remaining in the period. Tucker Gambrill laid one in to make it 14-8 late in the first and Garrison Sharpe drilled a three in the final moments of the quarter to put the ‘Cats on top 17-10 going into the second quarter.
A pair of Max Gambrill free throws and a three-pointer by Colton Echols stretched the lead to 22-10 early in the second and a pair of Nate Zills buckets made it a 26-16 game with just over three minutes to play in the first half. Zills put down two more baskets later in the period to extend Cullman’s lead to 32-17 near the 2-minute mark of the period and Echols and Apel each split a pair of free throws to make it a 34-19 game at the halftime break.
Cagle netted a pair of free throws and laid in another basket to start the third quarter and another bucket from Sharpe put the Bearcats ahead 40-26 early in the period. Duskin laced another three midway through the quarter to make it a 43-26 game and scores from Max Gambrill and Cagle helped stretch the lead to 49-26 later in the third. Cagle drained three free throws in the final minute to add to the lead and Sharpe scored just before the buzzer to give Cullman a 58-34 advantage going into the fourth.
A pair of free throws from Tucker Gambrill put the ‘Cats in front 61-37 early in the final frame and another basket by Echols made it a 63-41 game with five minutes to play. Echols and Apel each posted another basket in the final two minutes and Cullman continued to smother Clay-Chalkville on the defensive end, allowing the Bearcats to pull away with a 68-50 win.
Max Gambrill and Cagle each finished with 11 points for Cullman in the win. Sharpe and Echols each added 10, Zills posted eight and Duskin scored seven.
With the win, the ‘Cats have secured a spot at the Northwest Regional for the first time since 2016 and they will play Hazel Green at Wallace State’s Tom Drake Coliseum Friday at either 10:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.
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