Local basketball teams ready for playday schedule:
Next three weeks will be a hoopfest for teams and Gameday Weekly:
GDW Analysis:
Now that the month of June has arrived, prep basketball teams will be seen at various locations the next three weeks for playdays (also known as team camps).
Gameday Weekly invest its time into this as the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) has made it where teams heading into the new season, can get together in as many workouts during the month of June.
GDW is aware of playdays that have been scheduled with Tuesday to be the official opening day of the 2025 playday series.
GDW is to be at various venues in seeing what is to possibly develop for Cullman County teams when the season officially starts in early November.
First and foremost, changes on the sideline with three new coaches in local girls and three for the varsity programs.
Tammy West will be leading the Cullman Lady Bearcats after 33 years of creating greatness at Cold Springs High School.
Paige Parker Adams, an assistant to West, was promoted to guide Cold Springs with Adams being a former Lady Eagle that helped the school claim a state championship in 2009.
Garrett Cone is now in charge of the Hanceville Lady Bulldogs. Cone coached the Bulldogs' middle school squad last season. Cone has a background of playing hoops at Cold Springs.
Drew Adams moved from Good Hope to Cold Springs for a husband/wife group at the 2A school in Southwest Cullman County.
Taking over for Adams at Good Hope is assistant Griffin Morris. Morris has been with the Raiders for several seasons and is the youngest of varsity coaches at the age of 25.
James Brown is now leading the Vinemont Eagles. Brown got promoted after Preston Boyd recently stepped down and has accepted a position as assistant principal at Good Hope.
Girls preview:
Heading into the playday format, Holly Pond is very experienced, losing just one senior.
The Lady Broncos reached the Elite 8 last season, losing in the 3A regional final to Lauderdale County.
West Point is eager to keep the Lady Warriors as a county title contender and repeat as champions of 5A, Area 15.
They are well experienced in all phases from the perimeter to play in the post.
After having a school record of 22 victories last season, Vinemont seeks to maintain success with Emily Willoughby in her 2nd season as seven people with good experience await the new year.
Good Hope has to manufacture team play following a standout season that carried the Lady Raiders back to the 4A state championship game.
Justin Aby has to fill positions vacated by graduation to Ava McSwain, Jolee McHan and Lexi Collins.
Four starters will be called on to keep the squad on the high road in the county and 4A, Area 13.
Fairview worked hard to get a winning season in the 2nd year under Chris Nichols. The Lady Aggies return four experienced players with the squad eager to wind their way through the county and against a stout 5A, Area 14 cast of defending state champion Scottsboro, plus Guntersville and Arab.
Varsity outlook:
Cullman Bearcats have been a squad being consistent since Stu Stuedeman took over the program in 2021.
Seven Bearcats look to maintain the "Choas" lifestyle seen from this program in averaging better than 20 wins in the last four seasons.
West Point lost two key people in the backcourt by graduation. The Warriors still have personnel with experience to be looked at in battling for county honors and to take down another title in 5A, Area 15.
Five Holly Pond Broncos will display experience and a competitive nature this group experienced last season in making a run to the county championship game and playing hard in 3A, Area 11.
Fairview must find some newcomers to step up after six finished their career last season by graduating.
Hanceville is a squad too in the quest of new people to show what they can do. The Bulldogs said goodbye to seven players via graduation.
With Adams at Cold Springs, his first Eagles' group is experienced with at least six showing good play time last season that carried them to a berth in the 2A sub regional.
For Morris at Good Hope, the Raiders have to find scoring weapons now that Tucker Malin, Tyler Cone, Jacob Haynes and Gavin Pace have graduated.
Six Raiders come back with good experience from the guard position to having sophomore to be Tucker Screws in the middle at 6'3".
Brown at Vinemont sees what the Eagles can be as he assisted the team last season. Nine earned playing time last year with six on the varsity squad as a sophomore.
Photo of Fairview PG Darby Nichols driving by Holly Pond defender Millie McBee in the Cullman County Tournament at Wallace State January 21.
Photo courtesy of Jalia Nichole Photography.
