Cullman Bearcats Erase 15-Point Deficit to Win 6A Semifinal

BIRMINGHAM, AL – The Cullman Bearcats basketball team secured a dramatic 61-56 overtime victory against the Calera Eagles on Wednesday morning at Legacy Arena in Birmingham. Facing a 15-point deficit in the second half, Cullman mounted a fierce comeback to keep their championship hopes alive.

The thrilling win propels Cullman (27-5) into Saturday’s AHSAA State Championship game. The team now has the opportunity to capture their second state title in the last five years, adding another chapter to their impressive 2026 playoff run.

A Challenging Start in the Class 6A Semifinals

The Class 6A semifinals matchup began as a tough battle for the Bearcats. The two teams had previously met earlier in the season, resulting in a 53-45 victory for Calera. Early in Wednesday’s game, it appeared the Eagles might repeat that outcome.

Cullman opened the game with strong outside shooting. Gray Hopper and Sam Dorough connected on early three-pointers to establish an early advantage. However, Calera utilized their speed to force turnovers and create fast-break opportunities. The Eagles closed the first quarter with a 15-8 lead.

During the second quarter, Dorough stepped up to keep the Bearcats within striking distance. The senior leader scored eight points in the period by stealing the ball, driving to the basket, and drawing contact. Despite his efforts, Calera maintained a 22-20 lead at halftime.

Calera controlled the tempo coming out of the locker room. The Eagles scored six straight points to start the third quarter, utilizing a swarming half-court defense to force unforced turnovers. Calera’s Kaleb Duncan and Keelan Howard executed tough layups through traffic, stretching their lead to 35-24. By the end of the third quarter, Calera held a commanding 42-30 advantage.

The Fourth Quarter Comeback and Overtime Thriller

Calera extended their lead to 15 points early in the second half, seemingly poised to pull away and secure their spot in the finals. Calera’s Duncan scored a layup with 5:59 remaining in regulation to make the score 44-34. At this point, Cullman adjusted their strategy and turned up their defensive pressure.

“We had to get the game amped up or they’d just stall it out,” Cullman head coach Stu Stuedeman said. “We made a couple and then the floodgates opened and chaos reigns.”

Embracing their team identity of “chaos,” the Bearcats locked down defensively. Following Duncan’s layup, Cullman held Calera without a field goal for the next 10 minutes of game time, a drought that extended into the final minute of overtime.

On the offensive end, Cullman found their rhythm. Junior Emory Bonds became the catalyst for the comeback. Bonds hit a critical three-pointer to cut the deficit to 44-37. Shortly after, he nailed another shot from the wing to make it a one-point game. With 2:52 remaining in regulation, Bonds connected on his third three-pointer of the quarter, tying the game at 46.

Following a successful free throw from Calera’s Howard, Cullman’s Gray Hopper hit a clutch three-pointer from the block with 1:08 left, giving the Bearcats a 49-47 lead. Howard responded by making two free throws to tie the game at 49 with 35.3 seconds remaining. Cullman held the ball for a final shot but missed, sending the semifinal clash into overtime.

Cullman dominated the extra period. The Bearcats scored the first four points of overtime and eventually built a 60-51 lead behind an 11-2 scoring run. Calera finally ended their field goal drought in the closing minute, but Cullman secured the 61-56 victory.

“Cullman knocked down some big shots,” Calera coach George Drake said after the game. “When a team gets it going like that, it’s hard. They took care of business on their end.”

Key Performances

The Bearcats relied on standout performances from their core rotation to execute the massive comeback.

• Sam Dorough: The senior led the team with 23 points, 11 rebounds, four steals, three assists, and two blocks. Dorough consistently answered Calera’s physical play with resilient interior scoring.
• Gray Hopper: Hopper finished the game with 14 points and five rebounds. His timely three-pointer late in the fourth quarter provided Cullman with their first lead since the second quarter.
• Emory Bonds: The junior stepped up in the clutch, finishing with 12 points and five rebounds. Bonds shot 4-for-8 from beyond the arc, hitting the crucial shots that erased Calera’s double-digit lead.

“Once I start going, I can’t stop,” Bonds noted after his explosive fourth-quarter performance.

Calera also featured strong individual efforts. Keelan Howard led the Eagles with 19 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Kegan Johnson added 12 points for the Eagles, who finished their successful season with a 25-6 record.

Coach Stuedeman and the 22-Pound Heart

Coach Stuedeman praised his team’s relentless effort and unwillingness to surrender. He highlighted their grueling preparation and mental toughness as the primary reasons for the victory.

“These dudes are special,” Stuedeman said. “They keep doing things that people don’t think they can do. They keep coming at you, they keep coming at you, they keep coming at you. Eventually, we break the other team. That wasn’t coaching. That was just heart and determination and believing in themselves.”

Stuedeman compared his team’s drive to Secretariat, the legendary racing horse known for his incredible endurance.

“When they did the autopsy on him, he had a bigger heart than any other horse,” Stuedeman explained. “Obviously we have a lot of heart, and we started talking about how, men, we gotta have a bigger heart for everything we do. We have to live every single day with that 22-pound heart.”

Advancing to the AHSAA State Championship

The Cullman Bearcats will now prepare for the ultimate test. The team will compete in the AHSAA State Championship game on Saturday afternoon at Legacy Arena. They will face the winner of the semifinal matchup between Saraland and top-ranked Oxford.

“This is what we came here to do—to try to win a state championship,” Hopper stated.

Fans of Cullman Bearcats basketball can expect the team to bring their signature defensive chaos, outside shooting, and resilient spirit to the court on Saturday. Winning the Class 6A title would cement this roster’s legacy and bring a second championship banner back to Cullman High School in just five years.

FEATURED IMAGE: Cullman guard Gray Hopper (0) looks to pass the ball in Wednesday’s semifinals as Calera players Keelan Howard (0) and Kegan Johnson (1) put up resistance. (AHSAA PHOTO | Cody Kanaday)