GDW Analysis:
From Thanksgiving week basketball, the Good Hope Raiders were the unit that stood out locally.
Good Hope put together three consecutive days of solid performances in winning the 42nd Hanceville Thanksgiving Tournament.
This is bye a team that stepped on to the floor for the first time November 22, a week after a great football season had ended.
Good Hope topped Dora 78 to 50, Vinemont 75 to 32 and Corner 63 to 59 on consecutive nights.
Drew Adams' Raiders, expected to be solid again, made that point from Lane Horton Gymnasium.
Tucker Malin was ready to hoop it up. The senior enjoyed a career high 39 points vs. Dora, scoring 28 in the 2nd half.
After getting 10 in the semifinal vs. Vinemont, Malin again raised his level with 27 coming in a hard fought title game with Corner.
Malin scored 76 points and was selected the Most Outstanding Player by Gameday Weekly.
Others gave the Raiders impact play as well.
PG Jacob Haynes would put up 16, 14 and 19 points in each game. The 19 points was in the final as he averaged 16.5 for the tournament.
Gavin Pace is a new weapon and his shooting was presented with 18 in the Vinemont game, knocking down four treys in the first period.
Good Hope was part of the Hanceville Tournament with half of the field being from the Cullman County school system.
Four locals played in the 2024 event, the most locals in some time.
Hanceville earned a win over Vinemont after a semifinal loss to Corner.
Vinemont got a first round triumph against Meek before the Eagles lost in the semis to Good Hope and the 3rd place game to Hanceville.
Cold Springs played twice in falling to Corner and to Dora on Thanksgiving Eve, losing this one in the final seconds 49 to 47.
Cullman Bearcats and West Point Warriors were elsewhere in having good results.
The Bearcats were 2nd in the Mike Dean Turkey Shootout. Cullman romped over Lawrence County and Decatur Heritage prior to suffering its first loss when Hewitt Trussville defeated Stu Stuedeman's squad in the title game 62 to 39.
West Point mixed basketball with pleasure for playing in Gulf Shores. Mason Voce's Warriors were a first round winner against Gulf Shores, lost in the semifinal to Daphne then came back and defeated North Sand Mountain to earn 3rd place.
Fairview Aggies and Holly Pond Broncos went 1 & 2 for Thanksgiving week. Fairview's win was a 91 to 88 shootout against Lawrence County Tuesday in the Mike Dean Turkey Shootout.
Holly Pond outgunned Addison 58 to 39 Tuesday in the consolation bracket of the 69th Holly Pond Thanksgiving Tournament.
Overall records after Thanksgiving week:
Good Hope 4 & 0, West Point 7 & 2, Cullman 6 & 1, Fairview 6 & 3, Holly Pond 4 & 5, Hanceville 3 & 4, Vinemont 3 & 5, Cold Springs 1 & 5.
Monday games:
Arab at Cullman 7:30 (98.3 FM)
Fairview at Good Hope 7:30
Cold Springs at West Point 7:45
Holly Pond at Locust Fork 7:30
(hollypondbroncos.com)
Photo of Holly Pond's Fox Westall defending in game vs. West Morgan November 25 in the Holly Pond Thanksgiving Tournament. In the background is West Morgan coach Bobby Meyer.
Photo courtesy of Martha Needham.
