BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – For the first time in nearly a century, the Cullman Bearcats were competing in the Final 4 of AHSAA State Basketball Tournament Wednesday and this historic ride for the ‘Cats isn’t over quite yet. Cullman came out shooting to take an early lead over the Park Crossing Thunderbirds and continued to add to its lead in the second half on the way to a 71-55 win and a spot in Saturday’s Class 6A State Championship Game.
Bearcats Head Coach Stu Stuedeman came into the game with the same approach the ‘Cats have used all season and once again, they were able to wear down an opponent and pull away in the second half.
“I just think our style of play prevailed. That run to start the third quarter is what our style is all about. We got a couple big turnovers and we had guys making big plays all game,” Stuedeman said. “We weathered some foul trouble in the first half and then in the second half we really poured it on them which is what we’ve been doing here lately in the playoffs.”
Cullman has been killing teams with intense defense most of the year but in the postseason, the Bearcats have been very effective at the free throw line as well. The ‘Cats were 21 of 27 from the foul line against Park Crossing and Stuedeman credits the individual work his guys have put in throughout the year for that success.
“Our guys all playoffs have just been going up there and hitting dagger free throw after dagger free throw and I’m so proud of them because they’ve put the work in,” Stuedeman said. “That’s not coaching, free throws are about individual work, concentrating in practice when you shoot free throws and they’ve been mature about it and serious about it. The proof is in the pudding.”
Three-pointers by Tucker Cagle and Sam Duskin gave the Bearcats an early, 6-4 lead and Garrison Sharpe knocked down a trey of his own to make it 9-4. Sharpe laid one in to stretch the lead to 11-4 midway through the opening period and Cagle turned a steal into an easy basket to keep the ‘Cats in front 13-6. The Thunderbirds managed to trim the lead to two late in the first quarter, but Cagle scored with just over 20 seconds on the clock to give Cullman a 15-11 advantage going into the second.
Tucker Gambrill buried back to back three-pointers to open the second quarter, extending the lead to 21-13 but Park Crossing tightened up on the defensive end and cut the lead to 21-19 by the midway point of the period. The Thunderbirds tied things up at 21 but another bucket from Sharpe put Cullman back in front 23-21. A three-pointer on the other end gave Park Crossing a 24-23 lead but Max Gambrill scored through a foul and hit the free throw with less than a minute remaining in the half to retake a 26-24 lead for the Bearcats at the break.
Tucker Apel drained a three and Cagle converted another and-one play to make it a 32-24 game early in the third quarter and Sharpe drilled a three to stretch the lead to 35-24. Tucker Gambrill drained another three-pointer later in the period to give the ‘Cats a 39-24 advantage and for the next few minutes, it was the Max Gambrill show. He scored the next eight points for the Bearcats, culminating in a thunderous dunk and helped build a 47-31 lead for Cullman. Tucker Gambrill netted three free throws on the next possession to make it a 19-point game late in the third and an intentional foul just before the buzzer sent Apel to the free throw line. He sank both foul shots and the Bearcats went into the final frame with a 52-35 lead over the Thunderbirds.
A quick pair of baskets by Sharpe made it a 58-37 game early in the fourth quarter and after Tucker Gambrill split a pair of free throws, Sharpe knocked down a pair from the line to keep Cullman in front 61-48. Apel split a pair of foul shots midway through the period to make it 62-50 and continued to do damage at the free throw line. Apel and Sharpe each netted two more to stretch the lead to 66-51 with just over three minutes to play and Cagle scored inside to make it 68-53 with less two minutes on the clock. Time ran out of for the Thunderbirds and the Bearcats celebrated a 71-55 Final 4 win on the court at Legacy Arena.
Sharpe led the way for Cullman with 20 points in the win. Cagle finished with 14, Tucker Gambrill posted 13 and Max Gambrill posted 12.
After the game, Sharpe said he was thinking about the journey he and his teammates have been on this season to reach the biggest stage in Alabama High School Basketball.
“It’s unbelievable, this is the stuff we dream about,” Sharpe said. “On the way over here, I was thinking about all the work we’ve put in as a team, not even to mention individually, to become the players that we are. This is what we trained for, it’s everything for us.”
The Bearcats will be back on the court at Legacy Arena Saturday at 2:15 p.m. to face Huffman in this year’s Class 6A State Championship Game.
Copyright 2022 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
