
HANCEVILLE, Ala. – This year’s Cullman County Basketball Tournament resumed at Tom Drake Coliseum Monday afternoon and we got things started with a JV Boys semifinal battle between (1) West Point and (4) Fairview. The Warriors built a 31-17 lead in the first half, but the Aggies outscored them 13-7 in the third quarter to make it an 8-point game going into the fourth. However, West Point was able to hold onto its lead in the final frame and secure a spot in the county finals.
Sawyer Harris got the scoring started for West Point with a floater, but a rebound and putback by Jonah Eckleberry, followed by a layup by Connor Scott, gave Fairview an early 4-2 lead. Teagon Heaton drilled a three, then Rush Lamar laid it in off a Fairview turnover, and J.J. Minck buried a long-range shot to give the Warriors a 10-4 lead. Heaton added another trey to extend West Point’s lead to 13-6. Ayden Batz and Ollie Howell each traded baskets to keep it at a seven-point game at 15-8. Minck finished off the first quarter strong, as he got fouled after making a three and ended up hitting the free throw, then he later scored through another foul and hit that free throw as well, to stretch the Warrior lead to 21-10 going into the second.
Jackson Reid knocked down a three early in the second to give West Point a 24-10 lead. Batz laid it in to cut it to 24-12, but a basket on the other end by Harris made it 27-12. Minck added a pair of late baskets to put West Point ahead, 31-14. Konnor Dunkin drained a trey to cut it to 31-17, but the Aggies would find themselves down by 14 going into the locker room.
Eckleberry put in a tough basket in the paint, then Eli St. Denny added a pair of baskets down low to make it a 33-23 game with 4:39 remaining in the third. Scott buried a three, then Dunkin dropped in a floater to trim it to a five-point game at 33-28. Heaton knocked down a late three to make it a 36-28 game, but a pair of free throws by St. Denny cut it to 36-30. Lamar laid it in to give the Warriors a 38-30 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Scott laid it in, then Batz dropped in a floater to make it a 40-34 game with five minutes left to go in the game. Minck put in a short jumper, then he later added three free throws to stretch West Point’s lead to 45-34. St. Denny buried a trey to cut it to 45-37, but Howell scored down low, and Minck knocked down two more free throws to make it a 49-37 game. Heaton drilled a pair from the line to give the Warriors a 51-37 lead and West Point held on to defeat Fairview 51-41 and advance to the JV Boys finals.
Minck led the way for the Warriors with 22 points in the win and Heaton added 10. St. Denny and Scott each posted nine points in the loss for Fairview and Eckleberry finished with eight.
West Point will face the winner of (2) Cold Springs and (3) Good Hope in the JV Boys County Championship Game Saturday at 4 p.m.
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