WEST POINT – It is a night that most Cullman County hoops fans look forward to each year. The night when West Point and Cullman lock horns and go to war on the hardwood, and Tuesday night was no exception. Jim Boyd Gymnasium was rocking, filled with both West Point and Cullman fans as the Bearcats came calling.
Senior Alex Hernandez got things going for West Point (4-8) with an easy bucket under the goal. Cullman (5-7) countered with two from Dylan Finch. Nicholas Williams followed Finch, adding two to the Cullman total, but West Point fired back with five and controlled the rest of the quarter to go up 16-9 after one.
Early in the second, both teams exchanged points with neither able to gain an advantage, that is until the closing minutes of the half. Andrew Morton knocked the bottom out of a three and Finch found an open lane to the basket allowing Cullman to score the last five points of the half and head to the locker room down just one possession.
Whatever Cullman head coach Bobby Meyer said to the Bearcats at the half worked as they looked like a different team hitting the floor in the second. The Bearcats put up 18 in the third while holding West Point to just 11 to take their first lead since midway through the first quarter as they headed to the fourth up 43-38.
With both teams in the bonus for the majority of the fourth quarter, Cullman was able to keep their lead and improve to 6-7 by a final of 62-53. Cullman looks to get to .500 Friday as the take on Hayden at home. The Warriors will undoubtedly have redemption on their minds as the Aggies of Fairview head to West Point Friday.
West Point 68, Cullman 45 (Girls)
Cullman (4-5) got the scoring started with a 3-point basket that was drilled on the near wing by Sierra Easterwood. West Point (11-1) answered right back when Bailee Yearwood drained a three of her own. Anna Evans gave the lead back to the Bearcats, albeit briefly, with an easy bucket, but the rest of the quarter belonged to West Point as the Lady Warriors went on a 13-2 run that lasted the rest of the quarter and gave them a 16-7 advantage after one.
West Point picked up right where they left off, extending their run to 20-2 before a pair of free throws by Anna Murphy gave the Lady Bearcats their first points in more than five minutes. West Point kept their foot on the gas and the pressure on the Cullman offense, scoring another 13 points before the half for a comfortable 22-point lead at the break.
Cullman fought back in the second half, matching the Lady Warriors point for point and trying to claw their way back into the contest. However, West Point continued to get good looks at the basket and knocked down their open shots, doubling up Cullman 48-24 heading to the fourth.
Cullman saved their best quarter for the last, scoring 21 points in the frame, but it was not enough to stop the streaking Lady Warriors as they improved to 12-1 by the final of 68-45. West Point will be back in action Friday as they welcome the Fairview Lady Aggies to town. Cullman will also be in action Friday as they play host to Hayden.
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