CULLMAN, Ala. – Both of Cullman’s varsity squads hosted season openers at Bearcat Arena Thursday night and both teams tipped off their seasons with wins. The Lady Bearcats took a 5-point lead into the locker room at halftime before pulling away to top Cordova 54-37 and in the boys’ game, the Bearcats knocked down 12 three-pointers on their way to an 87-54 win over Brewer.
Cullman 54 – Cordova 37 (Varsity Girls)
Kadence Hanback laid one in to give Cullman a 2-0 start and after Cordova pulled ahead, Molly Dorough knocked down a three to tie things up at 5. The Blue Devils took an 8-5 lead later in the period but back to back buckets by Molly Wilson gave the ‘Cats a 9-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Dorough split a pair of free throws and Kaylee Johnson scored to put Cullman in front 12-8. Dorough scored inside and then hit a pair of free throws to make it a 16-10 game early in the second quarter. Wilson laid one in to put the Bearcats up 18-10 but Cordova battled back to tie the score at 18 later in the period. A pair of Dorough baskets kept Cullman in front 22-18 with one minute remaining in the second quarter and Zoe Snider scored in the final seconds of the period to give the ‘Cats a 24-19 lead at the halftime break.
Kentley White drilled a three and Dorough laid one in to make it a 27-23 game early in the third quarter. Johnson drained a pair of free throws and Hanback buried a three to help keep the ‘Cats ahead 34-24 with three minutes remaining in the third. Hanback scored through a foul and tacked on the free throw to make it 37-26 and a basket from Rachel Hoffman gave Cullman a 39-28 lead later in the third quarter. White scored in the final minute of the period to put Cullman in front 41-30 going into the fourth quarter.
Hoffman scored inside and then split a pair of free throws to maintain a 44-30 lead early in the fourth. Hoffman’s next basket made it a 46-30 game and Dorough laid one in to give Cullman a 48-35 lead with just under four minutes to play. A basket from Hanback made it 50-35 with two minutes on the clock and a pair of buckets by Wilson put the finishing touches on a 54-37 win for the Lady Bearcats.
Dorough led Cullman with 16 points in the win. Hanback and Wilson each posted 10 and Hoffman added seven.
The Lady Bearcats will be back home Saturday to take on Madison Academy.
Cullman 87 – Brewer 54 (Varsity Boys)
Jake Dorough drained a three and Sam Dorough laid one in to give the ‘Cats a 5-0 lead out of the gate. Baskets by Brooks Loftin and Evan Wilson kept the Bearcats in front 9-5 later in the first quarter and Sam Dorough scored the next seven Cullman points to make it a 16-5 game midway through the period. Gray Hopper hit a pair of free throws and Loftin scored a pair of buckets to give the ‘Cats a 22-8 lead and in the final seconds of the first quarter, Sam Dorough laid one in to put Cullman ahead 24-10 at the start of the second.
Another Basket from Wilson and a three from Jake Dorough made it a 29-10 game early in the second quarter. Owen Graves converted an and-one play at the line to make it 32-10 and Hopper drained a three from the corner to stretch the lead to 35-14. Three-pointers from Jake Dorough and Max Brooks kept the Bearcats in front 41-18 later in the period and Wilson laid one in to make it 43-21 with two minutes to play in the first half. Jake Dorough’s fourth three-pointer of the night made it a 46-24 game and Hopper laid one in just before the end of the period to give Cullman a 48-26 advantage at the break.
Another three-pointer from Jake Dorough and a pair of free throws from Hopper to make it a 53-28 game early in the third quarter. A three from Brooks, followed by free throws from Graves and Wilson, extended the lead to 60-36 midway through the period. Loftin scored six of the next seven points for Cullman to make it a 67-38 game and Jake Dorough buried two more three-pointers in the final minute of the third to put the Bearcats in front 73-44 at the start of the fourth.
Jake Dorough’s eighth three-pointer of the night put Cullman ahead 78-44 early in the fourth quarter and with the clock running the rest of the way, the Bearcats cruised to an 87-54 win over the Patriots.
Jake Dorough led Cullman with 24 points in the win, followed by Loftin with 16, Evan Wilson with 12 and Sam Dorough with 11.
The Bearcats will be back in action at the Veterans Day Tip-Off Classic at Wallace State Monday.
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