Pineville — Bell County used a fast start and a dominant performance from Kairi Lamb to defeat Harlan, 59-35, in semifinal action of the 52nd District Tournament on Monday night.
Bell County jumped out early, outscoring Harlan 20-8 in the first quarter and never looked back. The Lady Bobcats continued to control the tempo in the second period, taking a 37-20 lead into halftime behind balanced scoring and strong defensive pressure.
Lamb, a senior, led all scorers with 28 points and also pulled down 12 rebounds to record a double-double. She was efficient from the floor, going 12-of-18 shooting, while anchoring the defense with six blocked shots.
Bell County extended its advantage in the third quarter, outscoring Harlan 16-2 to put the game out of reach. Nevaeh Allen added 15 points for the Lady Bobcats, knocking down three 3-pointers, while Aubree Miracle chipped in seven points and four rebounds.
Despite the loss, Harlan battled throughout the night but struggled offensively against Bell County’s pressure defense. The Lady Dragons were limited to just 10 field goals in the game and committed 18 turnovers.
Bell County finished with a 35-24 rebounding advantage and forced 18 turnovers, helping seal the convincing win.
With the victory, Bell County improves to 21-7 on the season and earns a berth in the 13th Region Girls’ Tournament. Harlan’s season comes to an end with an 8-20 record.
