COUNTY BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: Fairview advances to JV Boys finals with 47-34 win over Vinemont

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Fairview’s Jonah Eckleberry goes up for a basket during the Aggies’ 47-34 win over Vinemont Friday night. (Jaila Eckleberry)

HANCEVILLE, Ala. – Day four at the Cullman County Tournament tipped off with a JV Boys semifinal matchup between Fairview and Vinemont. The Aggies went into the locker room leading the Eagles 25-12 at halftime and maintained that lead throughout the second half to collect a 47-34 win and secure a spot in Saturday’s JV Boys Championship Game.

Zayden Cruce laid one in and Camden Cullen drained a three to give the Aggies a 5-0 start over Vinemont. Another Cullen basket and a score from Calin Collins put Fairview in front 9-2 and Jonah Eckleberry scored inside to make it an 11-4 game later in the first. Jace Stevens knocked down a three-pointer to give the Aggies a 15-4 lead in the final minute of the period but after a basket from Isaiah Pair made it 15-6, E.J. Sharpe hit a three just before the end of the first quarter to cut the lead to 15-9 going into the second.

Baskets from Eli StDenny and Cullen extended the lead to 19-9 early in the second quarter and Cullen added two more buckets for the Aggies to make it a 23-11 game with two minutes remaining in the first half. Collins scored on an inbound play to put Fairview ahead 25-11 and after Banks Borwick split a pair of free throws for the Eagles, the Aggies went into the locker room leading 25-12 at the halftime break.

A pair of Kolt Redding baskets gave Fairview a 29-12 lead at the start of the third quarter but Will Conquest laid one in and Hayden Robinson buried a three to trim the lead to 30-17 later in the period. Robinson and Conquest each sank a pair of free throws to make it a 30-21 game midway through the third. Eckleberry scored a pair of baskets to increase the Aggie lead to 34-22 and Cruce knocked down a jumper to keep Fairview in front 36-23 with 1:30 to play in the third quarter. Parr drained a three from the corner and scored off a Sharpe steal to make it a 10-point game, but Cruce nailed a three-pointer on the other end with 30 seconds on the clock to give the Aggies a 39-28 lead at the start of the fourth quarter.

Another three from Cruce and a free throw from Cullen kept the Aggies ahead 43-30 midway through the final frame but a pair of baskets by Borwick on the other end made it a 45-34 game with just under three minutes to play. Conner Scott turned a steal into an easy bucket with around one minute remaining to cap off a 47-34 win for the Aggies and punch their ticket to the JV Boys Championship Game.

Cullen led the Aggies with 13 points in the win and Cruce finished just behind him with 12. Parr led the way for Vinemont with eight points in the loss.

With the win, Fairview has secured a spot in the JV Boys Championship Game and will face either Good Hope or West Point Saturday at 4 p.m.

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