ATHENS, Ala.- The Cullman Bearcats traveled to Athens to take on the Hewitt-Trussville Huskies in the Border Wars Classic on Monday night. A big second quarter by Cullman helped them take a double-digit lead into the locker room, but a late rally in the second half by Hewitt-Trussville made it very interesting. A pair of big baskets and some big free throws late in the game helped the Bearcats get past the Huskies, 67-59.
After tip-off, Cullman got on the scoreboard first on a rebound and putback by Brooks Loftin, but Hewitt-Trussville scored the next eight points to take an 8-2 lead with 3:54 to go in the opening period. The Bearcats’ offense got going after that, as Sam Dorough nailed a pair of free throws and Colt Fletcher scored five straight points to give them a 9-8 lead. Later in the quarter, Loftin knocked down a trey from the top of the key, and Dorough dropped in a floater to put Cullman ahead, 16-12. A three-point play by the Huskies cut it to 16-15, but Dorough drained a trey from the right corner just before the buzzer sounded to give the Bearcats a 19-15 lead going into the second period.
It didn’t take long for Cullman to add onto their lead in the second. Owen Graves knocked down a trey from the left corner, then Hopper scored through a foul and ended up hitting the free throw to stretch their lead to 25-15 less than a minute into the second quarter. Fletcher drove to the lane and laid it in, and Jonathan Witcher buried a three to make it a 30-18 game. Fletcher added another long-range shot, and Hopper later added a basket after getting the offensive rebound to give the Bearcats a 35-22 lead. Hopper knocked down a three, and later in the quarter, Emery Bonds and Hopper each drilled a trey to increase their lead to 46-26. A three-point play by the Huskies cut it to 46-29 at the break.
Hewitt-Trussville cut into Cullman’s lead to start out the third quarter. A pair of free throws, a trey from the top of the key, and a floater made it a 48-38 contest. Hopper and Dorough each knocked down a pair of free throws to give the Bearcats a 52-38 lead late in the third, but four free throws by the Huskies trimmed the deficit to 10 at 52-42 going into the final period.
Hewitt-Trussville hit a pair of free throws and later collected a steal and a layup to cut it to 52-46 early in the fourth. Loftin nailed a pair from the charity stripe to put Cullman ahead, 54-46, but the Huskies scored five straight points, including a three-point play, to make it a 54-51 game with five minutes to go in the contest. Hewitt-Trussville knocked down a trey with 3:38 remaining in the game to cut it to 56-54. The biggest shots of the game would come from Bonds and Hopper, as their treys from the right and left corner, respectively, gave the Bearcats a 62-55 lead with 2:59 remaining in the game. Graves’ rebound and putback made it 64-55. The Huskies hit four free throws to cut it to 64-59, but Loftin hit a pair of free throws, and Costa Burks hit one of his own from the charity stripe to help seal the 67-59 win for Cullman.
Hopper led the way for the Bearcats with 16 points. Loftin added 13 points. Fletcher ended up with 10 points, and Dorough posted nine points.
Cullman (15-2) will take on Chelsea in the Border Wars Classic on Tuesday night.
Copyright 2025 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
