John Tekulve Hoops Classic at Bearcat Arena:
West Morgan 3 21 11 10 - 45 (11 & 3)
Cullman 10 10 19 11 - 50 (15 & 3)
Cullman: Molly Wilson 14, Cadence Hanback 10, Catherine Ugarkovich 9, Molly Dorough 6, Ainsley Aldridge 6, Rachel Hoffman 5.
West Morgan: Hanniyah Standridge 13, Maddie Letson 11.
GDW Analysis:
Cullman received a solid challenge from the 10th ranked squad in 4A hoops Friday evening with it being the annual John Tekulve Classic to honor the former Cullman coach and player.
West Morgan overcame a 3 point first period with a 21 to 10 surge in the 2nd, hitting 8 FGs, 5 treys and went ahead of Tammy West's Lady Bearcats 24 to 20.
Then the home team got a scoring lift from 7th grade PG Ugarkovich in the 3rd.
Ugarkovich produced 8 consecutive points for Cullman to send them into the lead late in the stanza at 39 to 31.
Back came West Morgan. The Lady Rebels trailed 39 to 35 heading to the 4th and would move back on top at 43 to 40.
The rest of the game was handled by the Lady 'Cats with a 10 to 2 run.
Wilson would go 4 of 6 from the line in the period, scored a FG. Hanback had a huge trey as the Cullman scoring accounted for 11 in the final frame, only 2 coming on FGs and 6 at the line.
Cullman was only 6 of 12 from the stripe in the last period after they had scored on 6 of 8 visits to the area during the 3rd.
The Lady 'Cats shook off a sequence in missing 4 in a row from the line when Ugarkovich was unable to knock down a pair of tries and Wilson missed 2 after a technical foul was charged to the West Morgan bench.
Cullman enjoyed the ending of the 2025 schedule earlier in the week by defeating Mae Jemison 72 to 44 and Athens 56 to 50 in the Border Wars Classic.
And the victory against West Morgan has the Lady 'Cats taking momentum into the 6A, Area 13 opener Monday evening at Mortimer Jordan.
Photo of the Cullman Lady Bearcats prior to the John Tekulve Classic Friday vs. West Morgan at Bearcat Arena.
GDW photo by Johnny Thornton.
