Hartselle heads into area tournament on tremendous hot streak

Caleb Suggs

Hartselle Enquirer

Hartselle may be heading into the Class 6A area 15 tournament as the number three seed, but make no mistake, the Tigers are playing the best basketball of anybody in the area right now. Three weeks ago, Hartselle was sitting at 7-8 with their star player out with injury and after suffering two straight area losses. However, when they defeated Columbia on January 13 everything changed. Trace Hill returned to the lineup and Hartselle has now won 10 straight, with all but one having been by double digits. Their sweetest victory came in the most recent win when they knocked off the 22-5 Florence Falcons.

The game stayed at an almost stalemate through the whole first. Florence took the lead after the first quarter 12-8, after going on a 6-0 to end the quarter. Hartselle took the lead in the second behind two Trace Hill three pointers and a basket from Kyle Eddy. However, Florence’s Bryant Reid and Jamarian Brown tied it at 22-22 at halftime.

The start of the second half featured a few lead changes. Eddy gave the Tigers the lead 29-26 only to see the Falcons take it back 30-29. Isaac Taylor, along with Hill and Eddy, then hit three point baskets that sparked a 15-6 run for the Tigers that gave them a 44-36 lead. Florence managed to cut the lead to 44-40 at the end of the third, but that was the closest they came. Hartselle took control in the fourth and went on to win the game 63-52. Trace Hill finished as the Tiger’s leading scorer with 25 points, followed by Kyle Eddy with 10. Jonathan Coffee led the Falcons with 13.

Hartselle head coach Faron Key was excited for his team after the game. “It’s just a process. You have to stay on fundamentals. It’s not a complicated game you just have to play hard.” Key said. “We’re going to practice hard this week and hopefully put on a good performance on Thursday.”

Hartselle will face the Columbia Eagles in the first round of the area tournament on Thursday February 9 at Austin high school. Hartselle’s win over the Eagles is what sparked their current win streak.