Cullman hoops ready to battle arch rival Hartselle:
Two intense games expected Friday from Hartselle Gymnasium:
GDW Analysis:
HARTSELLE: Arch rivals Cullman and Hartselle tangle for the first time on the hardwood Friday evening inside Hartselle Gymnasium.
Both games will be carried live on cullmanbearcats.com
Girls game at 5:45 p.m.
Cullman is 8 & 1 with Hartselle 5 & 2.
The Lady 'Cats played in the Encore Classic last week with wins over Madison Academy 38 to 36 and Susan Moore 63 to 55. They lost on Thanksgiving Eve to Hewitt Trussville 73 to 56.
Hartselle split its 4 games in the Classic by defeating Madison County and Ardmore. The Lady Tigers were defeated on their home floor by Hewitt Trussville and Vinemont.
Tammy West's Lady 'Cats have been guided by the frontline scoring of center Molly Wilson and forwards Rachel Hoffman and Molly Dorough.
Wilson stormed through the Hewitt defense November 26 with a classic high 27 points.
Hoffman added 19 for her hard work near the basket.
Hartselle has become a young team for coach Amber Deline. Starting forward Hannah Burks is out with an injury she sustained in a game vs. Mortimer Jordan November 21.
The scoring has been handled recently by sophomore Elise Boyd and 7th grader Brinlee Sams.
Sams showed her stroke to Gameday Weekly last Wednesday with 22 points, hitting 6 treys in their game vs. Vinemont. Boyd produced 15 as she scored 4 times from long range.
Boyd played a lot for the Lady Tigers in her freshman season a year ago.
Hartselle earlier this week rolled over Hayden 70 to 50 while Cullman clobbered Cordova 66 to 16 at Wallace State's Tom Drake Coliseum.
Bearcats and Tigers to meet at 7:15 p.m.
Cullman comes into this intense matchup 10 & 0. The 'Cats had a rare feat of two wins the same day in a short time span between both games.
Stu Stuedeman's squad whipped DAR 70 to 27 Monday afternoon at Wallace State and in the evening time, routed Cordova 72 to 30.
Hartselle has a 2 game losing streak and is 5 & 4 currently.
Josh Golden's Tigers went down to defeat in the Hanceville Thanksgiving Championship game to Corner November 26 by the score of 59 to 53.
On December 2, the Tigers were beaten at home by the Hayden Wildcats 72 to 63.
Cullman utilizes the scoring from its guards of Sam Dorough and Gray Hooper while getting it inside to center Brooks Loftin where he can display his skills.
The Bearcats wear down the opponent with depth in going 4 to 5 deep into the bench so they can maintain the chaotic pace they have become since Stuedeman came to the school back in 2021.
Hartselle will look to have balance scoring in the quest to drop Cullman into the loss column for the first time.
Aiden Pointer played well in the Hanceville Tournament and was named to the GDW All Performance team.
In their loss to Hayden Tuesday, Grey Bennich led the Tigers with 16, Reed Springer 15 and Rhett Boyd 11.
This will be the 'Cats first game as a true road team after they have played their last 5 games on a neutral floor since last week, Guntersville High School and Drake Coliseum at Wallace State CC.
Photo of the Cullman Lady 'Cats prior to a game November 15 at Priceville. From left, Molly Wilson, Rachel Hoffman and Molly Dorough.
GDW photo by Johnny Thornton.
