The Harlan County Black Bears’ road show made a stop in northern Kentucky on Saturday afternoon to face another top 20 team, this time taking on Louisville Desales in the Griffin Elite Classic.
Harlan County outscored Desales 14-5 in overtime to run its record to 7-0 with a 92-83 victory.
Senior guard Trent Noah scored 32 points and junior guard Maddox Huff added 26 to lead the Bears. Sophomore guard Reggie Cottrell had his best game as a Bear with a. 17-point effort.
Senior guard Damone King, ranked as the ninth best player in the state by the Louisville Courier Journal, scored 36 to lead the Colts, one of the favorites in the always tough 6th Region. Brady Cummins and Logan Tharp, also senior guards, added 12 points each.
Cottrell helped the Bears get off to a good start as he had five baskets in the opening quarter to help the Bears outscore the Colts 18-12. Noah scored 10 points in the second quarter as the lead grew to 42-33 at halftime.
Noah added 10 points in the third quarter and Huff added seven, but King and Tharpe scored nine each for Desales as the Colts cut the deficit to 63-58 after three periods. King had nine points in the fourth quarter as the Colts pulled even at 78-all to force the extra period.
Huff took over in overtime with four straight baskets as the Bears pulled away. Noah hit four straight free throws to clinch the victory.
Harlan County will play Bowling Green on Wednesday in the first round of the King of the Bluegrass tournament in Louisville.
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Harlan County (92) — Trent Noah 32, Maddox Huff 26, Caleb Johnson 8, Jaycee Carter 9, Reggie Cottrell 17.
Desales (83) — Prince Kahnplaye 8, Brady Cummins 12, Logan Tharp 12, Damone King 36, William Gibson 6, Landon Thomas 9.
Harlan County 18 24 21 15 14 — 92
Desales 12 21 25 20 5 — 83
3-point goals: Harlan County 7 (Noah 3, Johnson 2, Cottrell 1, Carter 1), Desales 12 (King 5, Thomas 3, Kahnplaye 2, Cummins 2).