Prep hoops complete the playday tour moving forward:

Coaching changes to set the tone for 2025/26 local basketball:

GDW Analysis:
  Thanks to a rule by the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) allowing basketball teams three weeks in June of unlimited playdays, three schools used it in moving forward on the basis of coaching and personnel changes.
Cold Springs picked up Drew Adams after a 9 year stint at Good Hope that consisted of 185 victories and 7 straight seasons of 20 wins or better.
Assistant coach Griffin Morris got the nod to replace Adams. Morris will be the youngest coach in the county at 25 but has put tremendous work into the opportunity of now leading a program that has won the county championship five of the last seven seasons.
Vinemont promoted assistant James Brown to the lead role before playdays after Preston Boyd stepped down and became involved in the position of being named assistant principal at Good Hope.
Gameday Weekly was able to analyze the three teams in seeing varsity playday games six times from June 3 to June 19.
Cold Springs:
  Adams is known as an up tempo attack type coach. The Eagles will be utilizing his approach as they showed potential of honoring the request of the coach.
Key people: PG Ethan Day, F Linden Hill, SG Ayden Black, C Breydon Hallman.
A positive for the Eagles was closing out the playday schedule with a victory over 6A school Decatur at Priceville June 19.
Good Hope:
  Morris approached his first playday tour with Good Hope on the phase of a one step at a time.
The task for Morris is to replace four starters that have graduated. Those looking to fill the vacancies displayed heart and soul from playdays at University of Alabama, Cullman Basketball Complex, Priceville and Brewer High School.
Key people: C Tucker Screws, SG Kye McSwain, PG Tyler Byrd, SG Owen Armstrong, F Tucker Keef.
McSwain and Armstrong showed their potential of outside scoring, Screws controls to the post as he is just a sophomore.
Vinemont:
  A ball club that is growing hails in Vinemont.
The Eagles played half a dozen last season who were sophomores.
Their maturity got rave reviews by GDW in seeing the Eagles knock off Priceville at West Point June 17.
Key people: F Will Conquest, F Bryson Bush, F Cheston Wilhite, PG Gee Flores, SG Colton Gillis.
Balance will be a must for Vinemont to improve the win total with Brown now being the conductor on the bench.
Cullman:
  Choas will be on stage for the 5th year with Stu Stuedeman. The Bearcats have scored four consecutive seasons of better than 20 wins each time out.
Last season was a 6A, Area 13 championship and home court for the sub regional. Cullman took down 24 opponents in 29 decisions,
Key people: SG Sam Dorough, C Brooks Loftin, SG Gray Hopper, G/F Grayson Gay, G/F Emory Bonds.
The 'Cats will be experience and also young as Stuedeman three freshman will look to contribute with the squad determined to challenge those who try to deny them a deep run into the postseason.
West Point:
  GDW sees the Warriors to be a solid squad in the new season, even though they are without scoring guards Jay Lamar and Kade Welborn as they graduated following 24 wins, an area championship and a home game in the sub regional round in 5A.
Key people: C Jaxson Shelton, F Maddox Chapman, PG Kade Vincent, F Asa Sutter, F Brier Taylor.
The Warriors bring a variety of weapons on the offensive side with Sutter, Taylor, Nolan Franklin to see more playing time for Mason Voce.

 Fairview:

 Aggies see their 3rd season with Thomas Ganus in learning and developing.
The bulk of their offense is no longer for graduation made its move.
However, SG Zayden Cruce stood out each time he was seen by GDW in June.
Cruce uncorked a strong stroke in a playday for the Aggies vs. Hartselle at Wallace State June 18.
Others that gave effort in the playdays were Eli St. Denny, Konnor Dunkin, Colt Redding.
Holly Pond:
  The Broncos have experience returning in C Cade Allbright, G Fox Westall, G Asher Thrift, F Kohl Horton, F Ty Dunn.
They will seek a team style as they have to find scoring replacement after Sawyer Olinger, Carson Ryan departing from graduation.
Allbright is not easy to keep away from attacking the post at his 6'4" frame. Westall and Thrift look to blend in shooting from the perimeter.
Consistency will be sought after by this group in their 3rd year with Tim Willoughby.
GDW's triple threat from the playday series:
Cold Springs: Breydon Hallman, Linden Hill, Ethan Day
Good Hope: Tucker Screws, Kye McSwain, Owen Armstrong
Vinemont: Will Conquest, Bryson Bush, Colton Gillis
Cullman: Sam Dorough, Brooks Loftin, Gray Hopper
West Point: Jaxson Shelton, Maddox Chapman, Asa Sutter.
Fairview: Zayden Cruce, Eli St. Denny, Kolt Redding,
Holly Pond: Cade Allbright, Asher Thrift, Fox Westall.
Hallman played well in the post that GDW followed in watching the Cold Springs Eagle play 7 times in June.
McSwain and Armstrong delivered plenty of threes and mix in with Screws anchoring the post position.
Conquest provided balance for Vinemont and showing maturity as did Bush and Gillis.
Cullman's quest for continued success will be provided by Dorough, Loftin and Hopper with young talent coming from three freshman.
At West Point, the steady play of Shelton and Chapman in the forward and center spot, the ball handling of Vincent and Sutter rising his level from both ends of the floor.
Cruce was solid in Fairview perimeter shooting as he will seek many touches and scoring opportunities.
Holly Pond has Allbright in the post that creates mismatches. Outside scoring support will be needed for the Broncos to move forward in 2025/26.

Photo of Mason Voce and the West Point Warriors in a playday at Jim Boyd Gymnasium June 3.
GDW photo by Johnny Thornton.