Hanceville, Al. – Day one of the 2026 Cullman County Basketball Tournament concluded with a JV boys matchup between the no. 2 seed Fairview and the no. 7 seed Hanceville. It was all Fairview from the opening tip, as they jumped out to a double-digit lead and kept it the rest of the game, and they ended up routing Hanceville, 51-15, to move on to the next round.
Ayden Batz drilled a three from the left corner to give Fairview the early lead, but Brayden Rogers answered with a basket on the other end to cut it to 3-2. That would be Hanceville’s first and only basket that they would make for the rest of the quarter, as Fairview went on a huge run to end the first quarter. It started with Rowan Ibrahim scoring four straight points, and it ended with a steal and a layup by Brandon Acklin, as that put the Aggies ahead, 13-2, going into the second period.
The second quarter went the same way as the first one did. All of the points in the second came from Fairview, as seven different players found the scoring column for the Aggies. Fisher Gaines knocked down a jumper, then baskets by Markos Vazquez and Ibrahim made it 19-2. Omar Cruz drilled a short jumper, Easton Baez drained a three, Vazquez added another basket down low, and Ashton Knopp knocked down a three just before the buzzer to give Fairview a commanding 30-2 lead at the half.
Walker Whaley drained a pair of threes for Hanceville, as that made it a 34-10 game. Behind five points by Jake Pearson, the Aggies widened their lead to 42-11 going into the final quarter, which was run under a hot clock. Vazquez’s three-point play and a steal and a layup by Ibrahim made it a 49-13 game, and Fairview was on cruise control from there, as they ended up rolling past Hanceville, 51-15, to move on to the semifinals.
Vazquez finished with nine points for the Aggies, and Ibrahim added eight points. Whaley led the way for Hanceville with six points.
Fairview will take on the no. 3 seed Good Hope Monday at 3:45 p.m.
