JACKSON — After watching Breathitt County dominate through three quarters Monday, Harlan County senior guard Reggie Cottrell took matters into his own hands in the fourth. Cottrell scored the first seven points of the period and 11 of his 25 as the Black Bears rallied for a 69-61 win.
“He made a couple of big steals using his athleticism,” Harlan County coach Kyle Jones said. “I though Tucker (Curtis) gave a big lift also. I think that’s the best he’s played. I credit a lot of his development to playing JV this year. He is getting better every varsity game. We hope he continues. We think he has a chance to be a really good player the next couple of years.”
Breathitt came out red hot, hitting six of nine 3-point attempts in the first quarter, led by four from junior guard Payton Collins to build a 26-18 lead. The Bears cut the deficit to 37-32 at halftime and trailed 55-49 after three quarters.
“I kept telling them in the huddle that they can’t keep shooting that well, and if they do we’re going to lose,” Jones said. “They started hot in the third, but they cooled off some. We started face guarding (Collins), and, luckily, he started missing some of them. We found a way to win.”
After hitting nine of 15 shots in the first quarter, Breathitt slowly cooled off before hitting only two of 12 shots in the decisive fourth quarter. Cottrell’s 7-0 run put the Bears ahead for the first time with 5:50 left, but Breathitt’s Jagger Burton answered to reclaim the lead briefly. Cottrell’s steal and layup put the Bears ahead to stay, then two straight baskets by Curtis forced the Bobcats to four. Trent Cole hit five of six at the line and Cottrell added two as HCHS built its lead to as many as 10 after trailing by as many as 12 in the third quarter.
Cottrell and Cole each topped the 20-point mark for the second straight game as Cottrell scored 25 and Cole added 20. Curtis chipped in with eight points and seven rebounds.
Colins poured in 32 points to lead the 14-12 Bobcats.
Harlan County (18-9) travels to Knott Central on Wednesday and closes the regular season Thursday at Knox Central.
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Tucker Curtis scored 11 points and Hayden Grace added 10 as Harlan County improved to 6-7 in junior varsity action with a 43-23 victory.
Easton Engle tossed in six points, followed by Trey Creech with five, Andrew Vance with three and Tyhler Coots and Hunter Fuson with two each.
Jayden Hudson and Nathan Chapman scored six each for Breathitt. Adam Spencer added five. Jake Fugate tossed in three, followed by Ethan Sizemore with two and Blake Hudson with one.