WILLIAMSBURG — Darcie Anderson is beginning to make hitting a last-second shot a habit. Anderson’s basket at the buzzer, her second this season, during Saturday’s matchup with Harlan County gave Whitley County a 59-57 win.
The two-point victory turned out to be a much-needed win for Whitley County (11-5), who entered the game riding a season-worst three-game losing skid.
“It was a good win for us,” Whitley County coach Sean Pigman said. “Harlan County did a great job and had us down by eight with like six minutes left. I’m proud of our kids, they wouldn’t quit and found a way in the end.”
Reis Anderson led Whitley County with 17 points while Jaycie Monhollen scored 13 points and Gracie Jo Wilder finished with 11 points. Darcie Anderson turned in a seven-point effort with six of those coming in the fourth quarter.
Ella Karst led Harlan County with 20 points while Kassy Owens finished with 12 points. The game was close throughout with neither team being able to jump out to huge leads. It was tied at 17 apiece and 27 apiece at halftime before seeing the game tied at 41-all entering the fourth quarter.
Both teams continued to go back and forth on offense before seeing the Lady Colonels get a shot at winning the game with six seconds remaining. They did just that, thanks to Darcie Anderson. Wilder also added five points during the quarter while Monhollen scored five points and Wilder added in four.

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With three weeks left in the regular season, the South Laurel Lady Cardinals are really hitting their stride. Their latest win came on Friday night, when they traveled to Harlan County and left with a 63-54 win over the Lady Black Bears.
The Lady Cardinals (11-7) got a boost from two of their veteran players on the night. Brianna Howard and Rachel Presley led the way for South Laurel. Presley led all scorers with 19 points, while Howard added 17.
Coach Chris Souder said Howard and Presley showed up big when the team needed them, in each of the first and second halves.

“It seemed like Bree kept us in the game in the first half, and Rachel was able to get going in the second half after sitting most of the first half with foul trouble,” said Souders. ‘It was a thing of beauty but we did what we had to do.”
Harlan County came out strong to start the game. Howard connected on three 3-pointers in the first quarter, but the Lady Black Bears were still too much, as they took a 20-16 lead over South Laurel in the first quarter.
The Lady Cardinals’ defense tightened up in the second quarter. Howard knocked down two more three-point shots and Reagan Jones connected on two 3s, as well, as South Laurel rallied to tie the game at 32-32 at the half.
Presley went to work in the third quarter, taking over the game on the offensive end. The junior scored nine points in the third and helped South Laurel pull ahead to a 48-45 lead entering the fourth quarter. In the game’s final minutes, it was the Lady Cardinals’ defense that made the difference.
Harlan County managed to hit just three field goals in the fourth, and Presley poured in another eight points as South Laurel finished with the win.

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Harlan County fell to 4-5 in junior varsity action with a 47-24 loss to South Laurel and a 37-26 loss to Whitley County.
Lindsay Cox scored 12 and Aubrey Bundy added 10 to lead South.
Leah Davis led the Lady Bears with six points. Taytum Griffin and Paige Phillips scored four each. Jenna Wilson and Cheyenne Rhymer added three each. Hailey Austin and Haley Middleton scored two each.
Becca Meadors paced Whitley County with 10 points.
Griffin led the Lady Bears with 13 points. Austin, Middleton and Rhymer scored three each. Phillps and Davis each scored two.