LEXINGTON — After watching his Black Bears lose consecutive games for the first time in his two-year stint as coach, Harlan County’s Kyle Jones plans to go in search of the toughness his team displayed in winning 21 of their first 23 this season to earn a ranking as the state’s second best team.
“I’m really upset tonight. We’ve lost two in a row, and I feel we’ve lose two in a row because we were out toughed. I don’t care who gets mad that I said that because it’s a fact. We got out toughed the last two games, and I told them we’re going to find ourselves or we’ll find ourselves at the house again during the tournament like last year (against Corbin in the 13th Region Tournament). I’m challenging them that we’ll either get tougher this week in practice or we’ll be sitting at the house and everyone will have their feelings hurt.”
Four days after a loss at Pikeville, Harlan County never led against 11th Region power Frederick Douglass on Saturday afternoon in the Jock Sutherland Classic at Lafayette High School. A long and athletic Douglass squad won the game on the boards by outrebounding Harlan County 40-23, leading to 16 more shot attempts.
“When we looked at them on film, we told these kids we’re not going to outjump them. They can outjump us at every position,” Jones said. “They are a very skilled and athletic team.”
Junior guard Armelo Boone hit 12 of 23 shots, including numerous dunks, in a 28-point, 10-rebound effort to lead the 15-6 Broncos. Sophomore guard DeMarcus Surratt added 22 points. Aveion Chenault contributed 18 points.
The 21-4 Bears were led by senior guard Trent Noah with 30 points and eight rebounds. Maddox Huff added 17 points, and Jaycee Carter chipped in with 10.
Douglass took a 24-16 lead after one quarter and extended the margin to 42-35 by halftime. The Bears shot 57 percent (13 of 23) in the first half, but Douglass capitalized on several second-chance opportunities to stay in control.
Carter and Cottrell each hit back-to-back shots in the third quarter, but the Broncos responded to each Harlan County run, usually with a steal and basket or a putback.
Noah hit five straight tree throws to pull the Bears within five in the fourth quarter, and a 3 that would have cut the deficit to two rattled out just before Boone responded with tour straight baskets, including two that ended with dunks, to put the game out of reach.
Harlan County will close its district schedule Friday at Harlan in a girls/boys district doubleheader.