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November 28, 2009

BULLDOGS RALLY FOR TITLE

Jordan leads Hanceville to first tourney crown since ’97

By Michael A. Cummings The Cullman Times

HANCEVILLE — HANCEVILLE — Trailing by six points in the fourth quarter, Hanceville High’s boys basketball team needed a spark.

Trey Jordan just needed an opening.

Once he got it, the senior guard led Hanceville to its first Thanksgiving tournament title in over a decade.

Jordan poured in a game-high 22 points — including six during the Bulldogs’ game-winning 9-0 run — to lead Hanceville (4-3) past second-ranked (2A) Cold Springs 43-40, winning the championship game in its own Thanksgiving tournament for the first time since 1997 and second time ever.

“We set a lot of goals for ourselves before the season,” said Jordan. “We’ve got a lot of goals, but this was our first goal — to win this tournament.”

Early in the fourth quarter, it looked like that goal wouldn’t be fulfilled.

After the teams traded 3-pointers to start the period, Cold Springs took a 40-34 lead with 6:30 remaining in the ball game.

The Eagles (7-2) would not score again.

Instead, Jordan started the Hanceville rally with a breakaway dunk following a Bulldogs steal. The slam was the first of Jordan’s career in a game.

“I didn’t really dunk clean versus Hayden (in Hanceville’s tournament opener on Wednesday), so that was my first clean boom in a game,” said Jordan. “I knew I had to get the crowd pumped up.”

Seconds later, Geoffrey Hall added a 3-pointer before Jordan added a trey of his own to give Hanceville a 42-40 lead with 2:53 remaining in regulation.

Jordan completed the run by hitting 1 of 2 free throws with under five seconds left in the game. The senior guard finished with nine of Hanceville’s 12 points in the fourth quarter.

Cold Springs’ Jesse Lay had a chance to tie it at the buzzer, but his desperation 3-point shot was no good.

Hall tossed in 10 points for Hanceville, which hosts Cullman County rival West Point on Tuesday. Joseph Umphrey added eight points.

For Cold Springs, Chayse Elliott tossed in 13 points, while Ryan Hardin finished with eight. Justin Aby and Nic Blanks added six apiece.

The Eagles travel to Falkville on Tuesday.

Michael Cummings can be reached by email at michaelc@cullmantimes.com or by phone at 734-2131, ext. 258.

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