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Although they were outrebounded and committed more turnovers on Thursday, the Harlan Lady Dragons held off a late rally to defeat visiting Claiborne (Tenn.) 45-38 on the opening night of the E.R. “Doc” Gray Classic.

Senior forward Natalee King scored eight of her game-high 18 points as Harlan took a 16-9 advantage after one period.

Skylar Cook nailed a 3-pointer as the Lady Bulldogs cut the deficit to 19-14 with 2:51 left in the first half.

Free throws by Angel Wynn and Ella Karst allowed Harlan to take a 25-14 lead at the break.

A trey by Wynn and a basket by Karst pushed the Lady Dragons’ lead to 30-16 advantage at the 3:40 mark. Claiborne cut the lead to 32-22 heading into the fourth quarter.

King had three baskets and Alli Thompson scored two points as Harlan led 40-26 with 3:21 remaining. A jumper by Taylor Pressell cut the Harlan lead to 40-32 with 1:27 to play.

Harlan hit five of six free throws in the final 43 seconds as the Lady Dragons improved to 3-3.

Karst hit double figures with 12 points.

Kelsey Munsey paced Claiborne (6-5) with 14 points. Emma Beason contributed 11 points.

Friday’s schedule begins with Harlan’s fifth- and sixth-grade team playing Black Mountain at 4 p.m. The seventh- and eighth-grade contest will follow at 5. Claiborne takes on Barboursville at 6 p.m. The Lady Dragons face Jenkins at 7:30 p.m.

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Harlan 45, Claiborne, Tenn. 38

CLAIBORNE, TENN (5-6) 38

Emma Beason 3-12 3-4 11, Macie Sumner 1-7 0-0 2, Hailey Sexton 0-4 0-0 0, Trinity Jones 2-4 0-0 4, Kelsey Munsey 6-8 2-8 14, Kaylee Cox 0-0 0-0 0, Skylar Cook 2-8 0-0 5, Emma Wyatt 0-0 0-0 0, Taylor Pressell 1-5 0-2 2, Hannah Fugate 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 15-48 5-14 38.

HARLAN (3-3) 45

Ella Karst 3-7 4-4 12, Angel Wynn 1-3 2-2 5, Kaylee Leslie 0-0 0-0 0, Natalee King 6-13 6-6 18, Alli Thompson 2-4 1-2 5, Peighton Jones 0-0 0-0 0, Emma Owens 1-1 1-2 3, Aymanni Wynn 1-3 0-0 2, Abbi Fields 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 14-31 14-16 45.

Claiborne 9. 5. 8. 16 — 38

Harlan 16 9. 7. 13 — 45

3-point goals: Claiborne 3-14 (Beason 2-4, Cook 1-5, Sumner 0-1, Sexton 0-1, Pressnell 0-1, Jones 0-2). Harlan 3-9 (Karst 2-3, Angel Wynn 1-3, Aymanni Wynn 0-1, King 0-2). Claiborne 29 (Munsey 10), Harlan 20 (Aymanni Wynn 7, King 4, Angel Wynn 3, Karst 2, Thompson 2, Leslie 1, Owens 1). Assists: Claiborne 4 ( Pressnell 2), Harlan 5 (Thompson 2). Fouled out: Claiborne (Sumner).

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Tied after the first two quarters, Jenkins outscored Barbourville 23-8 in the third period to claim a 61-45 victory.

Lindsey Rose scored nine points and Jerrica Thacker added six in the third quater to make it 46-31.

Thacker poured in nine fourth-quarter points. She led the 2-4 Lady Cavaliers with 25 points. Rose finished with 19.

Laura Smith powered Barbourville (3-5) with 20 points.

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Jenkins (61)

Jerrica Thacker 25, Lindsey Rose 19, Cadence Firth 7, Skype Brown 5, Sameria Meade 3, Alexis Richie 2, Alyssa Fields 0, Hallie Fleming 0.

Barbourville (45)

Laura Smith 20, Grace Jones 9, Abby Smith 7, Aubrey Woolum 3, Tessa Hilliard 2, Lucy Robinson 2, Bri Gallagher 2, Aimee Woolum 0.

Jenkins. 10 13 23 15 — 61

Barbourville 10 13 8 14 — 45