By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

Dee Cutts led Montevallo in scoring in both contests the Bulldogs played this past week as the Bulldogs defeated Westminster OM at home 68-56 on Monday, Jan. 29 and beat Bessemer City on the road 48-47 on Tuesday, Jan. 28.

In the first matchup with the Knights, Cutts and Buck Ross were the only Montevallo players to score in double figures, with Ross pouring in 11 to combine with Cutts’ 23 in a winning effort. Westminster also saw two players score in double figures as Currin Carter had 11 points and Sam Lipperd had 10.

Neither team could gain an edge in the first quarter with the score being tied at 11 headed to the second. Cutts scored seven early points to pace the Bulldogs, while the Knights saw four out of five starters score at least two in the period.

Montevallo began to impose its will in the second quarter, outscoring Westminster 19-15 to head to halftime up 30-26. Demeco Gibson scored five of his seven points in the quarter, and Cutts continued to propel the Bulldogs with six points in the period. Thomas Bailey scored all six of his points in the second to keep the Knights in the game.

The third once again saw Montevallo outscore Westminster, this time by a margin of 19-12 to head to the fourth up 49-38.

The Bulldogs used an aggressive offense in the third to extend their lead, punctuated by multiple trips to the free throw line. Montevallo went 8-for-15 from the charity stripe in the game, while the Knights went 7-for-19.

The fourth was much closer, but the Bulldogs once again outscored Westminster, 19-18. Sam Carter was fouled multiple times by Montevallo and went 4-for-12 from the line in the fourth alone.

After the victory over the Knights, the Bulldogs traveled to Bessemer City to face the Purple Tigers. The matchup was a barn-burner, with Montevallo escaping by one point.

Cutts once again led the Bulldogs in scoring with 14 points. Ross added 13 and Nahjear Russell added 12 points of his own to lead a balanced Montevallo offense.

Bessemer City’s offense was more top-heavy, with two players combining for 38 of the Purple Tigers’ 47 points. Joseph Sheffield was unstoppable all game, scoring 26 points, while Jacoby Barlow added 12.

Bessemer City came out swinging in the first quarter, outscoring the Bulldogs 8-2. Sheffield started off strong with four points, and Ross was the only player to score for Montevallo with a 2-point bucket.

Sheffield continued his strong performance in the second quarter, scoring 12 of the Purple Tigers’ 15 points in the period. The Bulldog offense began to hum though, scoring 16 in the second.

After being shut out in the first quarter, Cutts found his rhythm, scoring nine of his 14 in the second. Russell also capitalized at the charity stripe, scoring four points on six attempts. Bessemer City headed to the half up 23-18.

The teams cooled off in the third quarter as Montevallo outscored the Purple Tigers 8-7. Ross scored six of the Bulldogs’ eight points in the quarter, while Barlow paced the Purple Tigers offense with four of his own.

With Bessemer City up 30-26 headed to the fourth, it was anyone’s ball game. Montevallo capitalized from the free-throw line in the fourth, scoring seven points from the charity stripe.

The Bulldogs outscored the Purple Tigers 22-17 in the final period, eking out a one-point victory in the process. Sheffield played great for Bessemer City, but the multi-dimensional Montevallo offense proved too much for the Purple Tigers defense to handle with Cutts, Ross and Russell combining for 39 of the Bulldogs’ 48 points.

Up next for Montevallo is a home game against St. Clair County on Friday, Jan. 31. The game tips off at 7:30 p.m.