CULLMAN, Ala. – Cullman was back home at Bearcat Arena Tuesday night for a pair of varsity battles against their rivals from Hartselle and the Bearcats split their matchups. The Lady Bearcats fell behind early and made a late push in the second half to cut into the Hartselle lead but couldn’t complete the comeback and fell to the Lady Tigers 54-40. In the boys’ game, Cullman went into the locker room with a 3-point lead at halftime but outscored the Tigers 40-24 in the second half to earn a 74-55 win.
Cullman 74 – Hartselle 55 (Varsity Boys)
Gray Hopper laid one in to give the ‘Cats a 2-0 start and after Hartselle responded with a couple baskets on the other end, Jake Dorough converted an and-one play at the line to keep Cullman in front 6-5. Evan Wilson sank a pair of free throws to make it a 7-6 game and that’s when Preston Gay caught fire. Gay drilled a three from the left corner and was fouled on the shot, adding the free throw to make it 11-6. Gay knocked down two more threes to keep Cullman ahead 17-14 as the quarter went on. Dorough finished another and-one play to make it 20-16 Gay’s third three-pointer of the period made it 23-16 and Owen Graves hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds of the first to give the Bearcats a 25-16 lead at the start of the second.
Brooks Loftin knocked down a pair of free throws to make it 27-19 early in the second quarter and Gay’s fourth three of the night put Cullman in front 30-19. After Loftin split a pair of free throws, Wilson laid one in to make it 33-26 but the Tigers were able to cut the lead down to 34-31 by halftime.
The ‘Cats found their rhythm on the offensive end in the second half, starting with three-pointers from Jake Dorough and Emory Bonds early in the third quarter. Wilson scored inside and Bonds added a pair of free throws to give the ‘Cats a 46-39 lead later in the third and after Dorough netted a pair from the line, Gay knocked down another three to make it a 51-43 game. After Loftin laid one in, Graves scored through a foul and tacked on the free throw to put Cullman in front 56-43 with less than two minutes to play in the third. Dorough and Graves each scored again in the final minute of the period to give the Bearcats a 60-45 lead at the start of the fourth quarter.
Back to back buckets from Loftin made it a 64-47 game early in the fourth and Sam Dorough drilled a three on the next possession to make it a 20-point game. Wilson buried a three from the top of the key to make it 70-47 midway through the period. Jake Dorough hit two more free throws and Loftin scored one more basket to put the finishing touches on a 74-55 win for the ‘Cats.
Gay led Cullman with 21 points in the win. Jake Dorough finished with 15 and Loftin added 13.
Hartselle 54 – Cullman 40 (Varsity Girls)
A pair of Molly Wilson baskets made it a 5-4 game early in the first quarter, but Hartselle dominated the remainder of the period 15-0 to take a 20-4 lead into the second quarter.
After Molly Dorough sank a pair of free throws, Kaylee Johnson banked in a long jumper to make it 24-8. Two more buckets from Wilson cut it to 28-12 with three minutes remaining in the half but the Lady Tigers were able to move ahead 30-12 by the end of the period.
A basket from Rachel Hoffman and a pair of Wilson free throws trimmed the lead to 33-16 early in the third. Dorough and Wilson each scored inside to make it a 38-20 game and Hoffman scored the final three points of the quarter for Cullman to hold Hartselle’s lead to 43-23 going into the final frame.
Dorough buried back to back three-pointers to cut the lead to 45-29 at the start of the fourth and Wilson laid one in to make it 45-31. Another basket from Dorough made it a 45-34 game later in the period but Hartselle responded with a 9-0 run to put the game out of reach for the Bearcats and secure a 54-40 win.
Dorough led Cullman with 16 points in the loss, followed by Wilson with 14 and Hoffman with seven.
Cullman’s varsity boys will remain at Bearcat Arena Wednesday night to host Shelby County, and the varsity girls will be back in action after the Christmas break.
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