With district games ahead next week against Middlesboro and Harlan, the Harlan County Black Bears have spent the past couple of weeks trying to iron out some issues to be at their best for the two district tests. Finding a more balanced offense has been a focus, and the Bears delivered on Tuesday in a 70-43 rout of visiting Red Bird.

Taylor Spurlock led the 16-5 Bears with 16 points and 10 rebounds, both team highs. Tyler Cole hit all seven of his shots from the field and scored 14 points. Alex Pace also scored 14 after missing the Bears’ win Saturday over Cumberland Gap, Tenn., due to illness.

“Taylor and Tyler both attacked the basket and shot it well, and that’s what we need from both of them,” Harlan County coach Michael Jones said. “We just got Pace back from his illness. We need that out of all three of them for us to be successful.”

Harlan County blew the game open with several impressive spurts of offense, including a 13-0 run in the second quarter and 14-0 run in the third quarter that started a running clock. The Bears, however, went through stretches of sloppy basketball with 15 turnovers.

“We’re doing some things well, but we’re not carrying over everything we’re doing in practice into games, and we have to get better at that,” Jones said. “I know the kids are looking forward to the two district games next week. They will be focused and ready to go.”

Senior guard Max Kitoko scored 12 points to lead the 7-8 Cardinals. Austin Napier, a junior guard, added 11 points.

Red Bird stayed close for much of the first period, pulling within two on baskets by Kitoko and Deagan Finley. Baskets by Spurlock and Elisha Smallwood highlighted a 6-0 run as the Bears moved out to a 19-13 lead after one quarter.

Harlan County took control with a 13-0 midway through the second quarter. Cole and Spurlock each had three baskets in the quarter while Gabe Price added two as the lead grew to 41-19 by halftime.

Cole’s basket started a 14-0 run in the third quarter after Red Bird had outscored the Bears 6-3 early in the period. Spurlock had two baskets in the run, including his second dunk of the game, Pace and Price also scored twice as the lead grew to 58-23 with 3:40 left in the quarter.

Harlan County will play host to Middlesboro on Tuesday in a girls/boys district doubleheader.

———

^^^

Harlan County 70, Red Bird 43

RED BIRD (7-8)

Austin Napier 4-6 2-4 11, David Collett 1-6 0-0 2, Max Kitoko 6-14 0-1 12, Dalton Finley 2-9 0-2 5, Deagan Finley 3-9 3-4 9, Jagger Wilson 0-0 0-0 0, Adolphe Onusuma 1-2 0-0 2, Bryce Helton 0-1 0-0 0, Scott Kayitere 0-1 0-0 0, Bryan Mama 1-1 0-0 2, Jacob Banks 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 18-49 5-11 43.

HARLAN COUNTY (16-5)

James Smith 2-5 2-2 8, Taylor Spurlock 8-12 0-0 16, Alex Pace 5-9 2-2 14, Tyler Cole 7-7 0-1 14, Gabe Price 3-6 1-1 7, Patrick Bynum 1-2 2-2 4, Josh Turner 0-1 2-2 2, Elisha Smallwood 1-2 0-0 2, Jackson Huff 1-4 0-0 3, Alex Nantz 0-0 0-0 0, James Gray 0-0 0-0 0, Jayden Ward 0-0 0-0 0, Adam Boggs 0-1 0-0 0, Braden Cox 0-0 0-0 0, Dawson Atkins 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 28-50 9-11 70.

Red Bird 13 4 15 11 — 43

Harlan County 19 22 22 7 — 70

3-point goals: Red Bird 2-10 (Napier 1-1, Dalton Finley 1-3, Kayitere 0-1, Collett 0-2, Deagan Finley 0-3), Harlan County 5-12 (Smith 2-3, Pace 2-4, Huff 1-2, Boggs 0-1, Spurlock 0-2). Rebounds: Red Bird 20 (Kitoko 4, Dalton Finley 4, Deagan Finley 4, Collett 3, Napier 2, Wilson 1, Kayitere 1, Moma 1), Harlan County 34 (Spurlock 10, Price 6, Turner 6, Bynum 3, Huff 3, Pace 2, Smallwood 2, Smith 1, Cole 1). Turnovers: Red Bird 16, Harlan County 15. Technical fouls: Red Bird (Onosumba), Harlan County (Cole). Fouled out: None.