HANCEVILLE, Ala. – This year’s 3A, Area 11 Tournament tipped off at Hanceville’s Lane Horton Gymnasium Thursday night with a matchup between the Bulldogs and the Vinemont Eagles. Hanceville was able to build a 25-10 lead in the first half and the Bulldogs fended off a late push from the Eagles to secure a 44-33 win and a spot in the area tournament semifinals.
Baskets by Will Conquest and Colton Gillis gave Vinemont an early, 4-1 lead but Peyton Twilley knocked down a three to tie the score at 4 with just over two minutes remaining in the first quarter. Sam Abney hit a pair of free throws to put Hanceville back in front, but Conquest scored just before the end of the first to tie the game at 6 going into the second.
Twilley laid one in, Abney hit two more free throws and Drake Bentley scored inside to put the Bulldogs ahead 12-6 early in the second quarter. Twilley drilled a three to make it 15-6 but a pair of baskets from Gillis on the other end stopped the run and trimmed the lead to 17-10 later in the period. Bentley hit a pair of free throws to make it a 20-10 game with less than two minutes to play in the first half and after a Jacob Keith basket made it 22-10, Bentley buried a three in the final minute of the second quarter to give Hanceville a 25-10 lead at halftime.
Bentley converted an and-one play at the line to make it 28-10 and after another bucket from Conquest on the other end, Bentley laid another one in to keep the Bulldogs in front 30-12. Twilley knocked down a three to give Hanceville a 33-14 lead but after another Bentley basket made it 35-14, the Eagles ended the third quarter on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to 35-21 at the start of the fourth.
Baskets by Twilley and Bentley kept the Bulldogs ahead 39-23 with five minutes remaining but Cheston Wilhite hit a pair of free throws and Charles Parr laid one in to trim the lead to 39-27 midway through the period. Twilley and Conquest exchanged baskets to make it a 41-29 game and Vinemont was able to bring the lead down to 41-33 with less than a minute to play. However, the Bulldogs sank three of their next four free throw attempts to put the game out of reach and secure a spot in the area tournament semifinals.
Bentley led the way for Hanceville with 21 points in the win, followed by Twilley with 14. Conquest led Vinemont with 10 points in the loss and Gillis added nine.
Hanceville will head to Locust Fork to play the Hornets on Saturday at 5 p.m.
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