AHSAA Basketball at the Pinnacle:
Falkville 13 8 16 14 - 51 (15 & 9)
Vinemont 14 17 18 13 - 62 (16 & 9)
VM: Colton Gillis 15, Bryson Bush 7, Gavin Parr 5, Gee Flores 2, Cheston Wilhite 4, EJ Sharpe 9, Sam Marsh 12, Will Conquest 5, Tucker Mauter 3.
Falkville: Cayden Butler 16, Elijah Holmes 10
GDW Analysis:
A strength for Vinemont hoops this season has been quality play by the starters and also those coming off the bench.
That was the case Tuesday on senior night with the starting crew of Gillis, Bush, Parr, Flores and Wilhite putting 33 points into the scorebook.
Coach James Brown got consistency through Marsh, Sharpe, Conquest and Mauter to tally 29 points with 13 being shared between Sharpe and Marsh in the 2nd period.
Their actions enabled the Eagles to move from a 14 to 13 lead through the first to 31 to 21 at the break thanks to a 17 to 8 advantage in scoring.
Gillis was sound in this one for Vinemont. He went to work for 11 points in the final half, 8 during the 4th period in keeping the lead in a comfortable mode despite Falkville making a run to close the deficit to six points.
The Eagles ended the battle on a 13 to 8 run in avenging an early season loss to their visitor just down the road on Highway 31 in Morgan County.
Gillis' 8 points and 5 by Conquest in the 4th was the only personnel to find the net to their liking when the game went into crunch time.
The Eagles are enjoying their best season on the hardwood in 10 years.
Now the Eagles seek a late season surge with a game now added to the schedule Thursday at 7:00 p.m. against the Arab Arabian Knights at Vinemont.
The Eagles will go to East Lawrence Friday and finish the regular season Monday playing a sound 1A program out of Blount County in Appalachian.
Vinemont is the host for the AHSAA 3A, Area 11 tournament for going 7 & 1 in area play in the regular season.
Photo of Vinemont coach James Brown and the Eagles in a game from the Cullman County Tournament January 20 at Wallace State CC.
Photo courtesy of Cathy McSwain.
