Harlan jumped out to a fast start and never looked back Tuesday night en route to a 46-34 52nd District victory over host Middlesboro.
The Green Dragons scored the first 13 points of the game and then overcame three long scoring droughts to defeat Middlesboro for the second time in the last 12 days.
Junior Dylan Cox scored a game-high 15 points for Harlan, including three 3-point baskets, while freshman Izack Saylor scored all 10 of his points during the final two quarters to help the Green Dragons improve to 4-18 on the season.
Middlesboro (6-13) got a team-high 11 points from senior Garrison Warren.
After freshman Ethan Huff’s long 3-pointer opened the scoring, Cox knocked down a pair of triples to fuel the Harlan run and force a Middlesboro timeout just 2:38 into the contest.
The Green Dragons did not score for the final 5:22 of the opening stanza, but Harlan’s stingy 2-3 zone defense held Middlesboro scoreless for the first 7-plus minutes of the contest. A 3-point basket by sophomore Bryson Brooks with 54 seconds remaining finally ended the drought.
A 3-point basket by Warren fueled an early 7-0 second-quarter scoring run by the Jackets, and Harlan was held scoreless for the first 3:37 of the second quarter, prior to an inside basket by senior Nate Montanaro.
Harlan led 22-13 at halftime.
Saylor and Cox combined for 10 points during the third quarter. A steal-turned-layup by Cox during the final seconds of the third stanza staked Harlan to a 33-25 lead heading into the final eight minutes of the contest.
A long 3-pointer by Middlesboro junior Joseph Killion and a free throw by freshman Jacob Tinnell cut the Harlan lead to 33-29, and the Green Dragons were held scoreless for the first four minutes of the fourth quarter.
Saylor answered a Warren triple with his second long-range basket of the game to extend the Green Dragons’ lead to 40-32, igniting a 9-2 scoring run down the stretch that sealed the Jackets’ fate.
Next up for Harlan is a game Thursday at Knott Central, while Middlesboro travels to Harrogate, Tenn., Wednesday to face J. Frank White Academy.

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Harlan (46) — Braxton Rowe 2, Jaxson Perry 6, Izack Saylor 10, Dylan Cox 15, Ethan Huff 3, Kobe Noe 8, Nate Montanaro 2, Eli Noe 0.
Middlesboro (34) — Mekhi Young 3, Joseph Killion 8, Jacob Tinnell 5, Aiden Larew 2, Garrison Warren 11, Bryson Brooks 5.

Harlan.         13 9 11 13 — 46
Middlesboro 3 10 12 9 — 34