HANCEVILLE — Brody Peppers scored a team-high 20 points, Cole Bales made some clutch free throws down the stretch, and Cold Springs’ varsity boys withstood a Herculean performance from Hanceville’s Brayden Harris to net a 70-65 overtime victory against the Bulldogs at the Cullman County Basketball Tournament on Friday night. 

The third-seeded Bulldogs (15-8) stormed out of the gate, making a trio of 3-pointers and quickly crafting a 17-6 lead.

But the No. 2 Eagles (16-7) didn’t panic, instead using their size advantage as a calming presence to slowly climb back into the clash. Tanner Kilgo and Peppers combined for 14 points in the second quarter, and John Mark Smith tickled the twine on a trio of 3-pointers to help the Blue and Gold surge ahead 35-29 at halftime. 

The second half was about as thrilling as it gets.

Both teams fought hard, with Smith putting Cold Springs up 60-59 on a 3-pointer with 1:45 remaining.

Zach Campbell, however, tied the game at the free-throw line, and neither team could surge ahead prior to the end of regulation.

In the extra period, Cold Springs commanded a 65-61 lead before Harris dropped in a long 3-pointer — his seventh of the contest — to pull the Bulldogs to within a point with less than a minute left.

With 9.5 seconds left, Smith put the Eagles up 68-65 on a pair of free throws.

On Hanceville’s ensuing possession, Harris couldn’t connect on a 3-pointer, and Bales drained a pair of free throws — he made five in the overtime — with 0.7 seconds remaining to seal it.

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Top Scorers

Cold Springs: Brody Peppers (20), John Mark Smith (14), Tanner Kilgo (13), Cody Bales (10), Seth Williams (8)

Hanceville: Brayden Harris (31), Zach Campbell (19)

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Coach Speak 

“No. 10 (Harris) — his effective 3-point percentage the past three games was 61 percent. By gosh, it was better tonight. He was tough. And when we got a stop, the rebounding was just brutal to us. But my guys are trying, and we’re doing the best we can. I hate it for (Hanceville coach) Stephen (Chandler), because he did a great job.” — Cold Springs’ Tim Willoughby

“I’ve got four seniors out there, and three of them were playing varsity basketball as ninth-graders. You may beat them, but they ain’t going to go away. They’ll battle to the end. They’ve been through it so many times. But again, Hanceville did a fantastic job. I’m just awfully, awfully proud of my guys.” — Cold Springs’ Tim Willoughby

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Up Next 

Cold Springs will play No. 4 Good Hope on Saturday at 7 p.m.