A defensive showdown at Harlan on Friday set the stage for an exciting finish.

Harlan had a chance to win at the buzzer, but Savanna Smith missed a 3-pointer as the horn sounded as the Knox Central Lady Panthers escaped with a 49-47 victory.

“I though we knew the situation pretty well, and Savanna had a good looking 3 and had hit several throughout the game. I’ll live with that shot,” said Harlan coach Tiffany Hamm. “She had hit four or five. I like her chances at an open 3 for the win.”

Smith and Natalee King led the Lady Dragons with 15 points each. Payeton Charles added 12 points.

Knox Central also placed three players in double figures as Presley Partin and Caylan Mills tallied 14 points apiece. Emily Davis scored 13.

Harlan led by two when Partin hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 17 seconds left. Mills added a free throw with 5.4 seconds left for the final margin.

Both had trouble scoring early. The first points came from a jumper by King at the 4:36 mark.

The Lady Panthers took a 9-7 advantage after one quarter as Davis scored six.

Three baskets by King and a jumper by Charles allowed Harlan to build its biggest lead of the night at 15-9 with 4:55 remaining in the first half.

Knox Central reeled off nine straight points to take an 18-15 advantage at the 3:17 mark. Partin scored five points.

Consecutive treys by Smith allowed Harlan to take a 21-18 lead. A basket by Kaylee Leslie and a 3-pointer by Charles gave the Lady Dragons a 26-22 lead at halftime.

Knox Central hit six of eight free throws and Davis added two baskets as the Lady Panthers took a 36-33 lead after the third quarter.

A jumper by King with 5:11 to play gave Harlan a 39-38 lead. The Lady Dragons stretched the advantage to four on a trey by Smith and lay in by King.

The Lady Panthers got two baskets by Partin and hit six of eight free throws and left with the narrow win.

Knox Central (8-7) plays host to Lynn Camp on Monday and travels to Harlan County on Tuesday. Harlan (5-15) plays host to Jenkins on Tuesday.

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Angel Wynn scored 14 points as Harlan (5-3) won 34-18 in junior varsity action. Makayla Sizemore added seven points. Ella Morton scored five, while Emma Owens and Raegen Jones added four each.

Timberly Fredrick led Knox Central (4-7) with 11 points. Paige Sharp added seven.

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Knox Central 49, Harlan 47

KNOX CENTRAL (8-7)

Ryleigh Swafford 1 3-4 5, Emily Davis 5 3-5 13, Presley Partin 6 1-1 14, Zoey Liford 0 3-5 3, Caylan Mills 5 0-0 14, Katie Broughton 0 0-0 0, Emily Mills 0 0-0 0. Totals: 17 14-21 49.

HARLAN (5-15)

Payeton Charles 5 0-0 12, Natalee King 7 1-2 15, Savanna Smith 5 0-0 15, Alli Thompson 0 2-2 2, Angel Wynn 0 0-0 0, Ella Karst 0 1-2 1, Kaylee Leslie 1 0-0 2, Peighton Jones 0 0-0 0, Madison Cole 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18 4-6 47.

Knox Central 9 13 14 13 — 49

Harlan 7 19 7 14 — 47

3-Point goals: Knox Central 1 (Partin 1), Harlan 7 (Smith 5, Charles 2).