PREP BASKETBALL: Bearcats, Lady Bearcats rout Hayden at home

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Cullman’s Ava McSwain (2) led the Lady Bearcats with 18 points in their 68-26 win over Hayden Tuesday night. (Nick Griffin/The Cullman Tribune)

CULLMAN, Ala. — Cullman hosted Hayden in Tuesday night hoops action, looking to build some momentum going into area tournaments next week. The Lady Bearcats rolled past the Lady Wildcats 68-26 while the Bearcats eased past the Hayden 96-56.

Cullman 68 – Hayden 26 (varsity girls)

Cullman jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead early behind fast-break baskets by Ava McSwain and Maci Brown and Jaden Winfrey added a basket down low as well. McSwain, Ella Collum, Winfrey and Stella Smith each scored during the Lady Bearcats’ 8-0 run to make it a 16-2 game, but Hayden finished the quarter on a 7-2 run to cut the deficit to 18-9. 

The Lady Wildcats added a basket down low to make it a seven-point game early in the second period, but it would be all Cullman after that as a three-point play by Winfrey pushed its lead to 25-11 and five straight points by Emma Ray, along with four in a row by McSwain made it a 34-11 contest. Collum added a three and Reagan Quattlebaum added a basket down low as the Lady Bearcats went into the half with a commanding 41-16 lead.

Cullman continued to pour it on in the third period, as a pair of McSwain free throws gave the Lady Bearcats a 52-19 lead and a pair of and-ones, one each by Quattlebaum and Ally Sharpe, increased their lead to 60-25 after three. Cullman (14-10) went on to roll past Hayden, 68-26.

McSwain led the way for the Lady Bearcats with 18 points, five rebounds and a pair of steals. Quattlebaum added 13 points, five rebounds, two steals, and a pair of blocks. Winfrey ended up with 11 points and four steals. Ray and Collum (five rebounds) each added seven points.

Cullman 96 – Hayden 56 (varsity boys)

The first quarter was back-and-forth between Hayden and Cullman. A basket down low by Kaleb Heatherly, followed by a pair of Tucker Gambrill free throws, gave the Bearcats an early 4-3 lead. The Wildcats scored five in a row to take an 8-4 lead, but Cullman went on an 8-0 run and a Garrison Sharpe basket gave them a 12-8 lead. Each team traded the lead for the remainder of the period before a Dylan Sessions layup just before the buzzer put Cullman up 20-19 after one. 

A pair of Sharpe treys made it a 26-22 game early on in the second quarter, and a Heatherly three-point play increased the Cullman lead to 31-26. Brodie Malcom then scored seven in a row to push the Bearcat lead to double-digits at 38-28. A Hayden basket made it a 40-33 contest, but Cullman started to create some separation from the Wildcats to end the first half as Tucker Apel hit a layup, Tucker Gambrill scored five in a row and Tucker Cagle added a pair from the line to push its lead back to double-digits at 49-33. Malcom drilled a three and Tucker Gambrill added a basket down low to end the half as the Bearcats went into the locker room up 54-35.

Cullman continued to pull away from Hayden in the third period. A Hayden trey made it a 60-41 contest, but the Bearcats went on a 16-0 run, with Tucker Gambrill scoring seven of those points. Sharpe added a three, Jamar Kay scored four points and Cagle added a basket down low as they made it a 76-41 contest and a Carter Gay trey pushed the Bearcat lead to 83-46 after three. The Bearcats would go on to rout Hayden, 96-56.

Tucker Gambrill led Cullman (12-8) with 25 points. Jamar Kay and Malcom each added 12 points. Sharpe posted 11 points. Cagle finished with eight points and Heatherly added seven points. 

Cullman will host Hanceville in their final regular season games on Friday night.

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