Fast start sends Black Bears to rout of Rye Cove

Published 11:45 pm Saturday, January 12, 2019

A second straight blowout win over an outmanned Virginia opponent didn’t mean Harlan County coach Michael Jones was either pleased or satisfied after the Black Bears finished off a 63-22 victory Saturday over Rye Cove.

“We can’t turn it an and off like a water faucet. Our lack of emotion bothered me. It was almost embarrassing the first half,” Jones said. “We can’t play like this tonight, then try to turn it on Tuesday when we go to Bell County. Until we figure that out, we won’t be as good as we could be.”

Junior guard Taylor Spurlock was one of the few bright spots, according to Jones, as he led the 13-5 Bears with 19 points on nine-of-12 shooting.

Email newsletter signup

“Taylor did a good job of getting to the basket,” Jones said.

Senior forward Gabe Price chipped in with 10 points as he hit five of six shots.

Senior center Chase Love paced the 3-11 Eagles with 13 points.

Harlan County grabbed control early by scoring the first 16 points, led by two baskets each from Tyler Cole and Price. Matthew Rhoton and Love each hit 3-pointers to put Rye Cove on the board.

After another Love basket cut the deficit to nine, Harlan County closed the half with 20 straight points. James Smith hit two 3-pointers in the run as the Bears built a 37-8 halftime lead.

Spurlock hit all six of his shots in the third quarter as the Bears started a running clock and extended their advantage to 51-15.

Patrick Bynum had two baskets in the fourth period, while Elisha Smallwood, Alex Nantz and Dawson Atkins added one each, as the Bears outscored Rye Cove 12-7.

Harlan County will travel to Bell County for a girls/boys district doubleheader on Tuesday.

^^^

Harlan County 63, Rye Cove, Va., 22

RYE COVE (3-11)

Zach Baker 2-3 0-0 4, Matthew Rhoton 1-4 0-0 3, Colton Eads 1-1 0-2 2, Ethan Chavez 0-3 0-0 0, Chase Love 5-12 0-0 13, Peyton Peters 0-2 0-0 0, Roscoe Haines 0-0 0-0 0, Ethan Chapman 0-3 0-0 0, Andrew Jessee 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 9-28 0-2 22.

HARLAN COUNTY (13-5)

James Smith 2-5 0-0 6, Taylor Spurlock 9-12 0-0 19, Alex Pace 2-9 0-0 4, Tyler Cole 2-4 1-2 5, Gabe Price 5-6 0-0 10, Patrick Bynum 3-3 1-1 7, Elisha Smallwood 1-6 0-0 2, Josh Turner 0-2 0-0 0, Jackson Huff 2-7 0-0 5, Dawson Atkins 1-3 0-0 2, Alex Nantz 1-2 1-4 3, James Gray 0-1 0-0 0, Jayden Ward 0-1 0-0 0, Adam Boggs 0-1 0-0 0, Brayden Cox 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 28-62 3-7 63.

Rye Cove 6 2 7 7 — 22

Harlan County 16 21 14 12 — 63

3-point goals: Rye Cove 4-15 (Love 3-7, Rhoton 1-3, Baker 0-1, Chavez 0-2, Peters 0-2), Harlan County 4-15 (Smith 2-3, Spurlock 1-2, Huff 1-4, Cole 0-1, Price 0-1, Smallwood 0-1, Atkins 0-1, Pace 0-2). Rebounds: Rye Cove 16 (Love 5, Chavez 4, Rhoton 2, Baker 1, Peters 1, Haines 1, Chapman 1, Jessee 1), Harlan County 34 (Spurlock 8, Bynum 7, Turner 4, Price 3, Nantz 3, Pace 2, Cole 2, Atkins 2, Smallwood 1, Gray 1, Boggs 1). Turnovers: Rye Cove 23, Harlan County 5. Fouled out: None.