BREMEN, Ala. – After topping Addison to take the area title last week, the Cold Springs Eagles were back home Tuesday night to host a Sub-Regional matchup against Aliceville. After trailing by double-digits at the half, a late rally in the fourth quarter came up just short and Cold Springs dropped a tough game to Aliceville, 53-50.
Aliceville put in a shot down low to get on the scoreboard first, but Cold Springs’ John Mark Smith got a great pass from Brody Peppers and knocked down a three from the top of the key to give the Eagles an early 3-2 lead. Baskets were very hard to come by after that as a Yellow Jacket three gave them the lead right back at 5-3. Tanner Kilgo put in a shot in the paint to tie the game up at five late in the first quarter and with less than a minute to go in the opening period, Peppers knocked down a shot down low to give the Eagles a 7-5 lead. Seth Williams added a pair of free throws as well and Cold Springs went into the second quarter up, 9-6.
Aliceville got off to a strong start in the second period as eight straight points, six of them off Cold Springs turnovers, quickly put them up front, 14-9. Kilgo added a basket in the paint to cut the Eagle deficit to three at 14-11, but a pair of huge threes by the Yellow Jackets, plus a basket in the paint, saw them push their lead to 22-13 with a little over three minutes to go in the first half. A driving layup by Williams cut Cold Springs’ deficit to six at 22-16, but a pair of Yellow Jacket baskets saw them take a 26-16 lead into the locker room.
An Aliceville made basket gave them a 30-18 lead early in the third period, but Smith and Peppers each added a shot in the paint to make it a 30-22 game. The Eagles got huge baskets from Kilgo and Cody Bales to help make it a 32-26 game with a little over a minute to go in the third period. The Yellow Jackets knocked down a basket and Cold Springs trailed, 34-26, going into what ended up being a very exciting final period.
Bales added yet another basket in the paint to cut Aliceville’s lead to 34-28 early in the fourth quarter. The Yellow Jackets quickly pushed their lead to 10 after hitting a pair of baskets in the paint, but a Williams trey cut it to 38-31 with 5:26 remaining in the game. Peppers drilled a pair from the line to make it 38-33 and later added another basket in the paint to make it a 40-35 game. Bales knocked down a huge three to cut it to 40-38 with a little over three minutes to go in the contest, but six straight points by Aliceville pushed their lead to 46-38. Peppers and Bales each added a basket in the paint to make it a 50-42 game and later on, a huge three each from Bales and Smith helped cut the Yellow Jacket lead to 51-48 with 12 seconds remaining in the game. After an Aliceville shot down low made it 53-48, Smith knocked down a floater to make it a 53-50 game. Unfortunately, though, they wouldn’t get any closer after that as Cold Springs ended up dropping a heartbreaker to Aliceville, 53-50.
Peppers led the way for Cold Springs (21-9) with 14 points. Bales added 13 points. Smith ended up with 10 points. Williams added seven and Kilgo finished with six. Tuesday night was the last game for seniors Bales, Peppers, Williams and Kilgo and they will be deeply missed. Coach Tim Willoughby will look for some new faces to step up next season as the Eagles look to put together another postseason run in 2022-2023.
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