LEXINGTON — Learning to play hard was the first step for a young Harlan squad. Playing smart is the next goal.

Harlan (3-6) extended its win streak to three with a 42-37 victory over Sayre on Thursday in the first round of the Jim Lankster Classic, but the Lady Dragons almost shot themselves out of the game in the fourth quarter. Harlan led by nine but continued to fire up quick shots against the Sayre zone, giving the Lady Spartans an opportunity to get as close as two. Harlan missed all 11 shots from the field in the final quarter and shot only 17 percent (11 of 63) for the game.

“We have to learn the play under control,” Harlan coach Tiffany Hamm said. “We were fortunate to win shooting that badly. I don’t have to worry about effort, but we have to play smarter.”

Alli Thompson, Savanna Smith and Angel Wynn each hit free in the final 20 seconds to preserve the lead after the Lady Dragons slowed down.

“Payeton (Charles) did a good job at the end getting us to slow down,” Hamm said.

Smith and Natalee King each scored 10 to lead the Lady Dragons.

Sayre (1-5) was led by eighth-grade guard Kylee Dennis with 21 points, including all 11 of her team’s points in the final quarter.

Sayre turned the ball over 13 times in the opening quarter as Smith shot the Lady Dragons into a 13-6 lead by the end of the period by hitting three of four in 3-point attempts. The rest of the Lady Dragons hit one of 10 shots.

The Lady Dragons misfired on 18 of 21 attempts in the second period but maintained a 22-16 lead at the break with the help of two baskets from King and one from Charles.

Ella Karst, a seventh-grade guard, carried the Harlan offense in the third quarter with three baskets, including a 3-pointer. Dennis answered with three baskets for Sayre, including a 3, as the Lady Spartans trailed by five at the end of the period.

Harlan will play Henry County on Friday at 7 p.m.

———

Harlan 42, Sayre 37

HARLAN (3-6)

Payeton Charles 2-19 3-6 7, Ella Karst 3-5 0-0 7, Savanna Smith 3-8 1-2 10, Natalee King 3-18 4-10 10, Alli Thompson 0-4 4-7 4, Angel Wynn 0-0 2-4 2, Reagan Jones 0-2 0-0 0, Peighton Jones 0-2 0-0 0, Emma Owens 0-0 0-0 0, Ella Morton 0-1 0-0 0, Kaylee Leslie 0-2 0-0 0, Makayla Sizemore 0-0 0-0 0, Madison Cole 0-2 2-2 2. Totals: 11-63 16-31 42.

SAYRE (1-5)

Kylee Dennis 8-16 3-6 21, Catherine Graves 0-2 0-0 0, Melissa Shane 0-2 0-0 0, Emma Samuel 1-14 0-0 2, Cate Goodman 1-3 2-6 5, Audrey Sams 1-4 2-2 4, Bella Duer 0-1 0-2 0, Grace Lymon 0-2 0-0 0, Teresa Murphy 0-0 1-2 1, Faith Lyman 1-1 0-0 2, Massie Little 1-3 0-0 2, Sophie Richardson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 13-47 8-16 37.

Harlan 13 9 11 9 — 42

Sayre 6 10 10 11 — 37

3-point goals: Harlan 4-22 (Smith 3-6, Karst 1-1, R. Jones 0-1, Cole 0-2, King 0-5, Charles 0-7), Sayre 3-9 (Dennis 2-3, Goodman 1-2, Little 0-1, Samuel 0-3). Rebounds: Harlan 41 (King 10, Thompson 10), Sayre 34 (Samuel 10). Turnovers: Harlan 16, Sayre 29. Fouled out: Sayre (Goodman, Sams, Graves).