VINEMONT, Ala. – The Vinemont Eagles are hosting their area tournament for the first time in 15 years they and tipped things off with a win over Brindlee Mountain Saturday night. It was a close game through three quarters, but a big fourth quarter was key for the Eagles and they secured a spot in the area title game with a 51-31 win over the Lions.
The first quarter was a defensive one for both teams. Brindlee Mountain put in a basket down low for their first points of the game, but a three on the other end by Jaxon Holcomb gave Vinemont a 3-2 lead. A rebound and a putback by the Lions gave them a 4-3 lead, but a driving layup by Holcomb gave the Eagles right back at 5-4 going into the second period.
Baskets by Holcomb and Jeremy Harbison made it a 9-4 game early in the second, but five straight points by Brindlee Mountain tied the game up at nine late in the first half. Kaden Graham broke the tie with a three from each corner to give Vinemont a 15-9 lead at the half.
A rebound and putback by Isaiah Jones pushed the Eagle lead to 17-9 early in the third. Holcomb later added a trey from the left wing to make it a 20-9 game. A steal and a three by Harbison stretched Vinemont’s lead to 23-11, but six straight points by Brindlee Mountain cut it to 23-17. Harbison buried another trey to end the third period, as the Eagles took a 26-17 lead going into the final quarter.
Jones drained a three from the right corner to make it a 29-19 game early in the fourth, but a pair of baskets by the Lions trimmed Vinemont’s lead to seven at 30-23. A basket on the other end by Harbison pushed the Eagle lead to 32-23. Later on, each team traded treys to make it a 35-28 game, but Vinemont started to create some distance between themselves and the Lions after that.
Holcomb knocked down a floater, Dawson Wilhite converted on his and-one opportunity, and Harbison split his free throws to give them a 41-28 lead with a little over three minutes to go in the game. Later on, four straight points by Jones and a free throw by Graham increased the Eagle lead to 46-30. Cheston Wilhite and Holcomb each added a pair of free throws, and Harbison put in one of his own from the line, as Vinemont ended up collecting a 51-31 win over Brindlee Mountain.
Holcomb and Harbison each finished with 15 points for Vinemont in the win. Jones added nine points and Graham put in seven points.
Vinemont will take the court again Tuesday night to play Susan Moore in the Class 3A, Area 13 championship game.
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