Even with the visiting Knott Central Patriots, the 14th Region’s top-ranked team in the RPI ratings, shooting 76 percent through the first three quarters Tuesday, Harlan County managed to stay within a point.
The Black Bears made the defensive stops when it counted most, limiting the Patriots to only three-of-nine shooting in the decisive fourth quarter to rally for a 62-58 victory in a slow-paced game that saw great shooting on both sides. Harlan County shot 62 percent for the game compared to 63 percent for the Patriots, who also connected on nine of 13 3-pointers for 69 percent. The game featured only 25 rebounds between the two teams with so few missed shots.
“They shot the ball really well. They are very experienced with five senior starters. The thing I’m most proud of is the last two games (a win at Leslie County on Monday) is we’ve played extremely hard and let our play do the talking and not fussing at other kids on the floor or about calls. We played our game the last two games and our attitude has been a lot better. I’m proud of them for that,” Harlan County coach Kyle Jones said. “We probably should have done it earlier, but we started face guarding (Connor Napier) No. 24 in the fourth quarter. He is such a good shooter. I thought that was big. We had Reggie (Cottrell) on him later in the game.”
Napier hit five of seven 3-pointers and finished with 20 points to lead the 12-6 Patriots. Chance Amurgey added 12 points.
Senior guard Reggie Cottrell led the 11-6 Bears with 24 points. Junior guard Trent Cole added 19 points, including six of six at the line over the last 98 seconds and eight of eight for the game.
Jones also liked the way his team adjusted to the deliberate pace of the game.
“I have a lot of respect for (Knott) coach (Jeff) Honeycutt, and his teams make you play at his pace,” Jones said. “We want to play up and down, but tonight we won in a different way, and it’s good to be able to do that.”
Sophomore center Tucker Curtis provided a lift off the bench as he had two baskets sandwiched around a 3 from Cottrell in an 8-0 run that put the Bears ahead to stay. Curtis also added three blocked shots in the decisive run. Knott tough back to within one on a basket by Napier with 2:20 left, but Cole hit six straight free throws and Cottrell added two as the Bears were able to hang on for the win.
Harlan County returns to action Friday at home against Middlesboro.