As the Harlan County girls basketball team concluded its summer schedule last week at the University of Kentucky basketball camp, the Lady Bears were greeted by a familiar face in a different uniform.

Former HCHS all-stater Blair Green began her UK career at the same time her former teammates closed their summer schedule. Green reported to school last Monday, began workouts on Tuesday and started summer school Thursday. The Harlan County basketball team was in Lexington for the team camp at UK and the Lady Bears were able to visit with their former teammate between games.

Green led HCHS to the regional finals each of her final three years of high school with the Lady Bears breaking through for the first regional title and trip to the state tournament in program history last year with a victory over North Laurel in the finals.

Harlan County will again be ranked among the regional favorites next year with five key players from last year’s squad (Phebe McHargue, Shelby McDaniel, K.K. Johnson, Breann Turner and Reanna Middleton) returning for their senior seasons. The Lady Bears finished a 12-4 summer by winning two of three games at UK on Thursday, defeating Frankfort and Lebanon, Ohio, and falling to Brookwood, Ohio.

The Lady Bears opened the summer by winning two scrimmages at Corbin over Rowan County and Harlan. HCHS won four of six at the Union College Team Camp, defeating Williamsburg, Clay County, Knox Central and Barbourville while losing to Southwestern and to South Laurel in overtime.

HCHS won four of five scrimmages at LMU, defeating Scott, Tenn.; Cherokee, Tenn.; Cumberland Gap, Tenn.; and Pickens, Ga.; before falling to Scott, Tenn., to close the camp.