CORBIN — With a massive cheering section behind them, the Harlan County Black Bears painted The Corbin Arena black while completing an unbeaten season against 13th Region competition with a 62-48 victory Monday over Corbin in the 13th Region Tournament finals.
Harlan County punched a ticket to the state tournament for the second time in school history (the first was in 2017) and tied a school record for victories with 31 while improving to 18-0 against regional competition.
“I’m so proud of these guys. We’re 31-4 against a very tough schedule,” Harlan County coach Kyle Jones said. “I think we came out a little flat with all the hoopla. It took a while to get going, but all of our guys stepped up.”
Junior point guard Maddox Huff had 24 points and nine rebounds to lead the Bears. Senior guard Trent Noah, the tournament’s most valuable player, added 14 points and 11 assists.
“I’m proud of our team and our coaches and that we get to continue playing next week,” said Noah
Much like in previous tournament wins over South Laurel and Clay County, the Bears started slow and had only 14 points midway through the second quarter before finally finding a rhythm late in the half to take a two-point halftime lead. Huff heated up in the third quarter with three 3-pointers as the HCHS lead grew to 43-34 going into the final period. Huff, who hit five of seven 3-pointers and finished with a team-high 24 points, shook off two off nights earlier in the tournament and helped lead the Bears to the title
“As a shooter you have to keep shooting, and I’m one of those shooters when I see one go down there is no telling what can happen after that,” Huff said. “I thank my teammates and coaches for putting me in the right position. They were going tonight, so I had to keep shooting. This is such a blessing to be able to win this with my brother (assistant coach Cameron Carmical), my uncle (assistant coach Dondi Noah), Trent (his cousin) and my teammates.”
“Maddox can do it, and we all know it. He hasn’t shot as well as he can the previous two games, but he came up big tonight, especially in the third quarter,” Jones said.
Both teams struggled offensively in the early going as the Hounds hit two of their first seven shots and the Bears hit two of eight. A 3-pointer by Pietrowski sparked Corbin in a 10-3 run over the final four minutes as Corbin built a 12-5 lead.
The Hounds’ lead reached nine early in the second quarter before the HC offense finally showed signs of life, beginning with a 3 from Brody Napier. Huff and Reggie Cottrell hit back-to-back treys as Harlan County pulled even at 20-all. Stewart’s 3 put Corbin back on top briefly before Huff started a 5-0 run to end the half with a 3 followed by a layup from Napier just before the buzzer to put the Bears up 27-25 at the break.
Huff and Noah hit 3s early in the second half as the Bears hit five of their first six shots, including two more 3s by Huff, to build a nine-point lead going into the final period. Senior forward Caleb Johnson added two baskets in a 13-6 run.
Two baskets by Zander Curry to open the fourth quarter helped Corbin get within five, but then junior center Jaycee Carter hit a 3 from the corner in front of the HCHS bench to reclaim the momentum for the Bears. Cottrell, Huff and Carter had baskets in a 12-0 run to push the Harlan County lead to 17 with 2:15 left. Noah and Huff teamed to hit seven of eight free throws over the final two minutes to clinch the title.
Harlan County will play the 4th Region champion on March 21 at 11 a.m. at Rupp Arena. Bowling Green, one of the four teams to defeat HCHS this season, will play Warren Central in the 4th Region finals on Tuesday at Western Kentucky University.