Harlan junior Shelby Doan was in the right place at the right time in Monday night’s opening round of the 52nd District girls basketball tournament. Inserted into the game during the waning stages, and with the Lady Dragons clinging to a slim lead, Doan’s steal with seven seconds remaining helped seal a 66-61 victory over rival Middlesboro.
After racing to an early 15-0 lead, the Lady Dragons had to hold off a comeback as Middlesboro got as close as three late in the third quarter and within two in the final minute before Aymanni Wynn and Peyshaunce Wynn hit two clutch free throws each to preserve the lead.
The victory sends coach Mackenzie Varner’s Lady Dragons into the Thursday championship game against Harlan County.
Harlan (19-12) scored the game’s first 15 points to assume a lead the Lady Dragonswould never relinquish, but Middlesboro refused to quit in the fourth meeting of the season between the two teams.
Freshman Peyshaunce Wynn and junior Cheyanne Rhymer each hit a 3-point shot during the opening run by the Lady Dragons, and Harlan’s stingy 2-3 zone defense helped force Middlesboro miss its first 12 shots from the floor.
Middlesboro (14-13) scored its first points of the first quarter on two free throws by sophomore Millie Roberts with 1:53 left, and the Lady Jackets’ lone field goal of the opening stanza came on a long 3-point shot by senior Keevi Betts with 1:12 remaining. Middlesboro shot an ice-cold 1-for-16 from the field during the first eight minutes of the contest.
Harlan senior Kylie Noe scored eight of her team-high 26 points during the second quarter, and the Lady Dragons led by as many as 17 points, before taking a 34-19 lead at halftime.
“Our first half was great,” Harlan coach Mackenzie Varner said. “I didn’t have much to complain about at halftime. Our third quarter isn’t typically our best, but I’m proud they were able to pull it out at the end. Our girls made some big plays at the end. Having Aymanni and Abbi (Fields) on the bench (with five fouls) wasn’t good for us, but we had some girls come in and make plays.”
Enter Betts.
The talented Betts torched the nets in the third quarter, scoring 19 of her game-high 28 points. Betts converted three 3-point shots during the stanza, including back-to-back triples that cut the Harlan lead to 47-44 during the final minute. An inside basket by Noe staked the host Lady Dragons to a five-point lead heading into the final quarter.
Harlan reeled off a 9-2 scoring run to open the fourth quarter, before Middlesboro responded with an 11-2 run of its own. Seven straight points by Middlesboro junior Addyson Larew cut the Harlan lead to  61-59 with just less than a minute to play, setting the stage for the dramatic finish.
Senior Aymanni Wynn hit two pivotal free throws for Harlan with 34.6 seconds remaining to make it a two-possession game, before fouling out of the contest with 21.6 ticks left on the clock.
A pair of free throws by Roberts made it 63-61 following the foul on Aymanni Wynn. Peyshaunce Wynn knocked down two free throws for Harlan with 15 seconds remaining, and Doan followed with the play of the game.
Doan was fouled going to the basket following the steal, and converted her first free throw try and effectively seal the fate of the Lady Jackets.
Harlan’s balanced scoring attack included 13 points by Peyshaunce Wynn, 12 points by Rhymer and 11 points from Aymanni Wynn. The Lady Dragons shot 35 percent from the field (21 of 60) and committed 14 turnovers.
Roberts scored 13 points for Middlesboro, while Larew and freshman Emily Lambert each added nine points. Middlesboro shot 33.9 percent afield (19 of 56) and committed 16 turnovers.
The first-round loss was the 14th straight for the Lady Jackets, who finished their best season in several years at 14-13.
“I’m really proud of the girls,” Middlesboro coach Sally Adams said. “The old Middlesboro would have lost that game in the first quarter, but our girls rallied and dug in. You can tell the team has matured a lot because we hadn’t been in those situations in years.”

Harlan 66, Middlesboro 61

52nd District Tournament
(At Harlan)
Middlesboro (14-13)
Keevi Betts 28, Addyson Larew 9, Addison Lucas 2, Emily Lambert 9, Trinity Derossett 0, Millie Roberts 13, Morgan Martin 0.
Harlan (19-12)
Kylie Noe 26, Aymanni Wynn 11, Peyshaunce Wynn 13, Cheyanne Rhymer 12, Abbi Fields 3, Raegan Goodman 0, Shelby Doan 1.

Middlesboro 5 14 25 17 — 61
Harlan 18 16 15 17 — 66