AHSAA 3A, Area 11 hoops at Lane Horton Gym:
Vinemont 14 16 20 11 - 61 (13 & 7, 6 & 1)
Hanceville 20 20 10 7 - 57 (5 & 12, 2 & 4)
Vinemont: Bryson Bush 14, Sam Marsh 11, Gavin Parr 8, Colton Gillis 9, Cheston Wilhite 3, Will Conquest 3, Tucker Mauter 3, EJ Sharpe 5.
Hanceville: Sam Abney 27, Drake Bentley 7, Hunter Black 6, Nick Davis 2, Shawn Pilman 4, Javus Leusby 4, Eder Herrera 2, Avery Carnathan 5.
GDW Analysis:
Vinemont found a way to slow up Hanceville and Sam Abney after the two had them down at halftime 40 to 30 in this huge 3A, Area 11 game Friday evening.
Hanceville played a great 1st half, scoring 20 points in the 1st and 2nd as Abney accounted for 21 for Stephen Chandler's team through halftime, hitting 6 treys,
Vinemont slowed up Abney and the Hanceville offense too. James Brown's Eagles finished the 3rd on a 16 to 5 run in getting the game tied at 50 to 50 to end the period.
The Eagles would yield 7 points from the Bulldogs in the final 8:00 getting 5 players to score in posting a great comeback victory.
Sharpe made some huge plays in crunch time. After he had a turnover, Sharpe drove in for a short range jumper and Vinemont went up 60 to 57.
Sharpe then got a rebound off a missed shot in the final seconds with a FT by Bush to make it a 4 point lead as time ran out.
This was the 2nd time this season Vinemont rallied in the final period beating Hanceville at Horton Gymnasium.
The Eagles did it November 26 in a 46 to 41 triumph from the Hanceville Thanksgiving Tournament.
Vinemont has a 3 & 0 record with Hanceville now this season. A 68 to 55 win took place at Vinemont December 12.
Last year, the Eagles lost 4 times to the Bulldogs, 2 in the regular season, once in the Thanksgiving Tournament and in the area tournament.
At 6 & 1, Vinemont controls its own destiny in area play. The Eagles host Holly Pond Tuesday who is currently 5 & 1 in the standings. Holly Pond will host Hanceville to finish the area schedule January 16.
Hanceville is 2 & 4 with the Bulldogs to play Locust Fork Tuesday and Holly Pond next Friday.
Photo of Vinemont's EJ Sharpe in a game against Holly Pond December 19. Sharpe had a big FG late Friday night to help the Eagles get by Hanceville 61 to 57.
Photo courtesy of Cathy McSwain.
