With a South Laurel squad long known for its defensive prowess in town for a showdown between the top two teams in the 13th Region in the RPI rankings, the Harlan County Black Bears and coach Kyle Jones knew they had to match the Cardinals’ intensity on the defensive end.
That is the kind of game that junior guard Reggie Cottrell plays best, and he came through big in the second half with several plays on the defensive end along with a game-high 12 rebounds to lead the Bears to a 67-63 victory.
“I was super proud of our defensive intensity tonight. I thought it was as good as it’s been for an entire game,” Jones said. “I’m so glad Reggie felt good tonight. He’s been sick and had some ankle problems, but I thought his intensity and hustle was the difference. We have to have his energy, and I am super proud of him. I think he will continue that. We are so much better when he plays like that.”
“They are really good for a reason, and they’ve played a really tough schedule like us,” South Laurel coach Jeff Davis said. “I think you saw two teams who have been through the battles all year.”
HCHS senior all-state guard Maddox Huff and South Laurel senior forward Jordan Mabe provided a game within the game as the region’s top two players, and both lived up to the expectations as Huff led the Bears with 30 points and seven rebounds. Mabe had 26 points and eight rebounds for the 17-7 Cardinals.
“They are really good and have five guys who can play so you just can’t take Maddox. You will leave somebody else open, and Jaycee and some of the others played well,” Davis said.
Trent Cole and Jaycee Carter added 15 and 10 points, respectively, for the 19-8 Bears.
“I thought all of our seniors played well, and Trenton Cole had a really good floor game as well,” said Jones, noting the Bears turned the ball over four times in the game.”
Colton Rawlings, a senior guard, added 16 points for the Cardinals. South Laurel played without senior forward Max Fullmer (out due to illness) and senior gauge Josh Steele (out for the year with a back injury).
Cole and Carter each had two baskets in the opening quarter as Harlan County outscored the Cardinals 17-10. Brody Napier’s 3 pushed the lead back to seven late in the half before two free throws from Rawlings and a basket by Garrison Brown cut the deficit to 28-25 at halftime.
Cottrell’s energy on the defensive end sparked the Bears in the third quarter as their lead grew to seven on a couple of Huff 3s after a steal and layup by Cottrell. South battled back to pull even at 44 on a 3 from Kaden Taylor before Huff drew a foul on a 3-pointer and hit all three shots for a 47-44 lead.
Harlan County appeared to have the game under control after Cole’s basket with 3:20 left pushed the lead to 61-51. South fought back again as Mabe and Taylor each hit 3s to get the Cardinals as close as two with 16.5 seconds left. The Bears helped South’s rally by missing six of eight free throws during a stretch over the final two minutes. Huff, however, answered the ball with 14.2 seconds left to extend the lead back to four.
“They put some pretty good pressure on us at the end,” Jones said. “We know we have to make free throws, and I’m confident we will. Guys who missed them normally make them.”
“They made the plays at the end. It was a possession or two here or there, and that’s tournament basketball,” Davis said. “We’re down a few guys, and our bench really stepped up. They didn’t play scared, I’m really proud of our guys.”
Harlan County returns to action Wednesday at Middlesboro in a girls/boys district doubleheader. South Laurel will play at Great Crossing on Saturday.
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South Laurel rallied from a 10-point deficit in the third quarter to win 38-35 in junior varsity action.
Joe Smith led the Cardinals with 12 points. Isaiah Robinson scored nine. Kaden Taylor tossed in eight. Braydon Laymon chipped in with four. Brayden Cassidy added three. Trace Woods and Cannon Jackson scored one each.
Brady Smith led the 4-3 Bears with 18 points. Bryson Bryant scored eight. Kaden Jones added three. Landon Brock, Brady Freeman and Tucker Curtis scored two each.