Less than 30 seconds remained in the rematch of last season’s 13th Region Tournament championship game against Corbin, and Harlan County junior Reggie Cottrell found himself with the basketball in his hands.
Cottrell had taken a long out of bounds pass from senior teammate Maddox Huff, then sprinted down the court and emphatically dunked the ball to seal a Black Bears victory.
Respected throughout the region as a fierce competitor and floor leader for Harlan County, Cottrell finished the job against Corbin and he plans to further develop in an expanded role for the Black Bears this year in his third varsity season under head coach, Kyle Jones.
As promised.
Earlier this year on July 4, Cottrell was severely injured after a firework suddenly exploded in his hand, resulting in the amputation of his left index finger and nearly half of his left middle finger.
Before Cottrell was airlifted to Albert B. Chandler Hospital at the University of Kentucky, Jones was among his first visitors following the accident. During that short visit, Cottrell made a promise that he would recover from his injuries and be ready for the start of the season.
“When I went in to the hospital, right after it happened, I walked in and everybody was emotional and upset and he told me, ‘Coach, I promise I’ll be all right, I’ll be fine, and I believed him,” Jones recalled. “He’s just a tough kid.
“I remember, as soon as it happened, it wasn’t even an hour later, and (Jones) came in to the doctor’s to check on me, and I said, ‘Coach, I’ll be straight,'” Cottrell added. “I knew as soon as it happened I’d be back on the court.
After surgery the night of the accident and his subsequent discharge from the hospital in Lexington, Cottrell underwent several weeks of physical therapy at PT Pros Physical Therapy & Sports Centers in Harlan.
By midway through September, he was already back on the basketball court.
“The first couple of weeks it was very, very hard, but my teammates came to see me almost every day to see me and make sure I was straight,” Cottrell said. “That really meant a lot and helped me both mentally and physically.
“I had one therapy session in Corbin and then worked with PT Pros. They helped me out a lot during the first three weeks.”
Now missing nearly two full fingers on his left hand, Cottrell found the return to the sport he loves challenging, at first, but has adjusted as time has passed.
“At first, it was a little difficult,” he said, “but my coaches and teammates just told me to keep working and get better.”
“At first he had trouble catching the ball and had trouble putting the ball in his left hand and finishing with his left hand,” Jones said. “After a couple of weeks, and staying positive and the kids staying positive, it’s turned out that he might actually be better.”
Despite the graduation loss of all-state standout and current UK player Trent Noah, Cottrell is high on the Black Bears’ chances of having another successful season.
“I feel like we have a lot of different weapons, and if one person is off I feel like we have other players who can step up on the other side,” he said.
“I’m just trying to help my teammates win however I can. Defense is a big part of the game; defense wins championships, and if my defense helps us win games, then I’m going to play defense.”
As a testament to his defensive prowess, Cottrell showed flashes of brilliance throughout the hard-fought win against Corbin. During one sequence, Cottrell grabbed a defensive rebound, ran the length of the floor en route to a layup, and then followed with a steal on the ensuing possession.
Cottrell helped lead the Bears to a 13th Region championship last season, then played a key role as HCHS won three games at the state tournament before falling to Lyon County in the state finals. Cottrell developed something of a cult following from fans at Rupp Arena who were impressed as he gave opponents fits with his athleticism on the defensive end with his long hair flying.
“He’s the best on-ball defender in the region and he may be the toughest kid in the region,” Jones said. “He played in the state tournament last year with a broken wrist. He’s tough. I won’t put anything past him.”
Although his minutes were limited against Corbin due to foul trouble, Cottrell remained involved with the flow of the game and engagement of his teammates while he was on the bench.
“Reggie’s a leader,” Jones said. “He leads by example and shows these kids that you can overcome a lot of adversity with a little hard work and determination.”
He also keeps his promises.