Coming off a 27-win season a year ago that included being ranked among the state’s top 10 teams, the Harlan County Black Bears are looking for more in 2024 and have the schedule to prove it.
Four starters return for Harlan County, and coach Kyle Jones is doing his best to prepare them with what he calls “the toughest schedule in Harlan County history.”
The Bears will return to the prestigious King of the Bluegrass tournament in Louisville and the WYMT Mountain Classic at Knott Central. Harlan County added one of the nation’s top tournaments to the schedule earlier this summer after agreeing to play in the Arby’s Classic at Viking Hall in Bristol, Tenn. HCHS athletic director Eugene Farmer started talking with tournament officials last year about the possibility of the Bears participating. No Harlan County team has played in the tournament since Cumberland in the mid 1980s.
“One of the goals I had when I started as athletic director at HCHS was to take a team to the Arby’s Classic,” Farmer said. “I’ve long considered the Arby’s Classic to be the premier high school basketball tournament in the United States. What makes the Arby’s Classic so appealing is the fact that our fans can be there in an hour and a half to support our team while also watching nationally ranked teams and future NBA talent. Just this year, Arby’s Classic alums were drafted 21st and 34th in the NBA Draft, which shows what kind of elite talent competes there. I think it’s very important for our student-athletes to get the opportunity to play against the very best, and the Arby’s Classic certainly provides that challenge. Additionally, our players will get to play in one of the most historic basketball palaces of all-time in Viking Hall while also playing in front of numerous scouts. I’m looking forward to watching our team compete while also representing Harlan County well, as they always do.”
The tournament, according to the Johnson City Press, will again feature a stout field as 10 teams from outside of Tennessee will be vying for the prestigious title. The tournament is held Dec. 26-30 and will feature teams from New York, Washington D.C., Ohio, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Virginia and the Bahamas.
After a successful tournament last year that had six of the 18 teams finish as state champions, tournament director Richard Ensor feels this year’s field could be even better, according to the Johnson City Press.
“We’ve got several teams coming this year who are either defending state champs or state runners-up,” he said. “A couple are pre-season top 25 teams, so I expect this year’s tournament to be one of our best yet. There are also some incredible players on these teams, some of whom have already committed to Division 1 schools.”
Teams from outside the area taking part in this year’s Classic are Mentor (Ohio), Jackson-Reed (D.C.), South Shore (N.Y.), Mater Lakes Academy (Fla.), Dorman (S.C.), Kell (Ga.), Imhotep Institute (Pa.), Harlan County (Ky.), George Wythe (Va.), Independence, Oak Ridge, Maryville and Tabernacle (Bahamas).
Local teams participating are Dobyns-Bennett, Daniel Boone, Greeneville, Sullivan East and Tennessee High.
One of the top players to watch will be Imhotep’s 6-foot-4 guard Ahmad Nowell, who has committed to Tennessee and is a top 30 player in the country.
Kell’s 6-foot-11 center Payton Marshall — an Auburn commit — and Jackson-Reed’s 6-foot-7 forward Rob Dockery — a Texas A&M commit — are also big names to watch.
Harlan County’s Trent Noah, who averaged 26.5 points and 12.8 rebounds per game last season, is also listed as one of the top players in Kentucky and in the tournament field. Junior point guard Maddox Huff and junior center Jaycee Carter are also returning starters, along with sixth man Caleb Johnson, a senior forward. Sophomore guard Reggie Cottrell and junior guard Brody Napier are also expected to play key roles after helping the Bears post a 17-5 record this summer. Senior guard Jonah Swanner, a three-year starter, also returns.
“I specifically want to thank tournament director Richard Ensor for accepting my application and inviting Harlan County High School to the 2023 Arby’s Classic,” Farmer said. “Additionally, I’d like to ask all of our fans throughout the county and beyond to make their way to Bristol after Christmas to support the Black Bears.
The tournament will be part of a brutal schedule that currently features only five home games. The Bears will also play in the Griffin Elite classic in Covington and the Jock Sutherland Classic at Lafayette. HCHS will also play defending 8th Region champ Woodford County (state semifinalist), defending 14th Region champ Breathitt County and defending 13th Region champ North Laurel in addition to several teams that were regional runner ups last year, including Corbin, Pikeville and Boyd County.