Lady Cats clinch top seed with 20th straight district win

Harlans+Aymanni+Wynn%2C+pictured+in+action+earlier+this+season%2C+had+nine+points+and+12+rebounds+in+the+Lady+Dragons+loss+to+Bell+County+on+Tuesday.

John Henson

Harlan’s Aymanni Wynn, pictured in action earlier this season, had nine points and 12 rebounds in the Lady Dragons’ loss to Bell County on Tuesday.

By John Henson, Managing Editor
February 2, 2022

Bell County 74, Harlan 50

BELL COUNTY (16-7)
Nadine Johnson 4-18 1-1 9, Mataya Ausmus 5-14 0-0 12, Ashtyn Meyers 5-13 0-0 13, Gracie Jo Wilder 8-14 8-10 25, Neveah Kerns 2-5 0-0 4, Lauren McGeorge 3-7 1-2 8, Haylee Mills 1-2 0-0 2, Kayleigh Cox 0-0 0-0 0, Mikayla Gambrel 0-0 1-3 1, Kamdyn Hoskins 0-0 0-0 0, Halle Jones 0-0 0-0 0, Grace Wilder 0-0 0-0 0, Kylee Greer 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 28-73 11-16 74.
HARLAN (8-12)
Emma Owens 4-6 0-0 8, Faith Hoskins 4-6 0-0 8, Aymanni Wynn 3-13 2-3 9, Leah Davis 0-7 0-0 0, Peighton Jones 2-3 0-0 4, Kylie Noe 5-15 5-9 15, Scarlett Rowe 1-2 4-6 6. Totals: 19-52 11-18 50.

Bell County 13 12 17 19 — 61
Harlan 18 18 8 24 — 68
3-point goals: Bell County 7-31 (Meyers 3-12, Ausmus 2-9, Wilder 1-5, McGeorge 1-5), Harlan 1-11 (Wynn 1-4, Hoskins 0-2, Davis 0-5). Rebounds: Bell County 33 (Wilder 12, Kerns 8, Johnson 6, Meyers 2, Cox 2, Ausmus 1, McGeorge 1, Greer 1), Harlan 37 (Wynn 12, Noe 11, Jones 4, Hoskins 3, Davis 3, Owens 2, Rowe 2). Turnovers: Bell County 12, Harlan 27. Fouled out: None.

Bell County ran its district win streak to 20 and clinched the top seed in the upcoming 52nd District Tournament with a 74-50 win Tuesday at Harlan.
Harlan stayed close for a half as Bell struggled to hit from the outside, missing 15 of 17 from behind the 3-point line. Sophomore forward Gracie Joe Wilder, who finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds, carried the Bell offense early with five baskets in the first half. Lauren McGeorge came off the bench to hit her last three shots of the second quarter to spark a 12-6 run that put the Lady Cats on top 32-26 at the break.
Bell heated up in the third quarter, opening with a 17-5 run to push the lead to 19. Mataya Ausmus had four baskets in the third quarter and Wilder added three as the Lady Cats led 57-38 going into the fourth period.
Ashtyn Myers and Ausmus added 13 and 12 points, respectively, as Bell improved to 16-7 overall and 5-0 in district action.
Freshman forward Kylie Noe had 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead the 8-12 Lady Dragons. Aymanni Wynn added nine points and 12 rebounds.
Harlan travels to Leslie County on Wednesday. Bell County will play host to Middlesboro on Friday.