By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Sports Editor 

MONTEVALLO – Using arguably their best defensive effort of the year, the Montevallo Bulldogs were able to pull away for an easy area win on Wednesday, Jan.30, taking down Indian Springs 56-22.

The Bulldogs scored at least 11 points in every quarter offensively, while giving up just four total points in the second half defensively to pick up the easy victory and close out area play 5-3.

While they won’t end up hosting the area tournament due to Childersburg finishing area play a perfect 6-0, it’s a Montevallo team that has battled through a lot to earn a top-3 seed in the area tournament.

Montevallo (10-11) started area play 2-0 and was sitting in good shape with early wins over Indian Springs and Jemison, before a tough stretch featured losses in six of eight games.

Still though, the Bulldogs had battled a tough schedule and while they eventually fell to 2-2 in area play, they bounced back by winning two of their final three area games.

During that stretch, Montevallo lost all six of its games by 11 points or less, while the three area losses were by seven points or less, losing to Childersburg by two points and six points and Leeds by seven points.

They also got area wins by 12 against Leeds and 18 against Oak Grove, showing this is a battle-tested team that was extremely close to leading the area.

Against Indian Springs the second time around, the Bulldogs took out some frustration and gained some confidence in their final regular-season area game heading into the tournament where they’ll face Leeds for a third time looking to lock up a sub-regional berth.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a dominant start in the first quarter showing their defense had come to play. Montevallo allowed just six points in the quarter, while posting its second best offensive quarter of the game at 15 points.

Somehow, Indian Springs found a flash of success in the second quarter and responded from its six-point opening period with 12 points in the second quarter.

That also sparked an extra energy on the defensive end of the floor holding Montevallo to just 11 points, which allowed Springs to remain in the game despite going into the half down 26-18.

Coming out of the halftime break, you got the sense that Montevallo felt it was the better team and that’s something that was discussed at halftime, because the effort was different and more dominant throughout the half.

In the third quarter, the Bulldogs laid the hammer down with 19 points on the offensive end of the floor, while holding Indian Springs to just four points defensively to open up their lead at 45-22.

That just sprung Montevallo into the final quarter with even more confidence to end the game, and the Bulldogs took advantage by not giving up a point on the defensive end of the floor, while also scoring 11 more points to close out the game with a final score of 56-22.

Montevallo ended the night with three scorers in double figures led by Jamarius Carter’s double-double performance posting 14 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks.

Kial Cottingham led the team in scoring with 16 points also adding five assists, while Tavicia Tutt posted 15 points and eight rebounds.