HARLAN — The defending 13th Region champion Harlan County Black Bears will enter next week’s 13th Region Tournament as the 52nd District champion thanks to a 61-51 win over Bell County.
The Black Bears (24-8) held a slim 15-14 lead at the end of the first quarter and a 27-20 advantage at halftime before pulling away in the second half.
Senior Maddox Huff did what he does best — take over games when he’s needed most, scoring nine points in the final eight minutes.
He led all scorers with 29 points, including hitting four 3-pointers while going 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. Reggie Cottrell added 13 points while Brody Napier finished with 10 points. Trenton Cole added seven points while Jaycee Carter scored two points.
Blake Burnett led the Bobcats (26-6) with 21 points while Ethan Buell added 10 points.
