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An improved defense and a more balanced offense are two of the major reasons why the Harlan Lady Dragons are among the 13th Region’s most improved teams in 2020. Both were on display Thursday as Harlan overcame a bad first quarter to roll past visiting Lee, Va., 59-42/

“We started a little sluggish, but I thought it was a great second quarter and we carried it on from there,” Harlan coach Tiffany Hamm said. “When we play defense like we can, it helps us on the offensive end. We’re pretty good in transition. When we play defensively, we can hang in there.”

Senior forward Natalee King scored 18 points and eighth-grade point guard Ella Karst added 16 for the 9-7 Lady Dragons, who topped last year’s win total (8-22) with the victory.

Pauline Tolentino led the 3-11 Lady Generals with 11 points.

Harlan hit only two of 12 shots in the first quarter and trailed by as many as 11 points before a late basket by Emma Owens cut the deficit to 15-6.

Three baskets by King and a pair of 3-pointers from Angel Wynn helped the Lady Dragons take control by outscoring Lee 19-5 on the way to building a 25-20 halftime. The Lady Dragons also capitalized on seven turnovers in the period.

A 3-pointer by Aymanni Wynn to open the third quarter extended the lead to eight before Lee answered with an 11-3 run to pull even at 31 on a basket by Quillen. Karst and King led Harlan to a 38-34 lead going into the final period.

Lee hit only three of 14 shots in the fourth quarter as Harlan pulled away with the help of two baskets by King and 3-pointers from Karst and Angel Wynn.

Harlan will travel to Harlan County on Saturday for a girls/boys doubleheader.

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Harlan (1-5) earned its first junior varsity win of the season with a 36-31 victory over Lee, led by 16 points from seventh-grade center Abbi Fields. Faith Hoskins added eight, followed by Abbie Jones with six, Addison Jackson with four and Ava Nunez with two.

Duncan scored 10 and Hammonds added nine for Lee.

Harlan fell 54-21 to Whitley County in junior varsity action Tuesday as Dougas led the Lady Colones with 14 points.

Hoskins paced Harlan with 11 points. Abbie Jones scored five while Peighton Jones added four and Ella Lisinbee scored one.

Holcomb and Combs scored 13 each as Letcher defeated the Lady Dragons 58-24.

Jackson scored 11 and Hoskins added 10 for Harlan. Abbi Fields scored two. Abbie Jones added one.

Hammonds scored 14 and Hall added 12 as Lee, Va., defeated Harlan 37-27 at Lee.

Jackson led Harlan with 10 points, followed by Hoskins with six, Fields with five and Marlowe and Jones with two each.

The Lady Dragons fell 30-15 to Thomas Walker, Va., and 35-16 to Corbin.

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Harlan 59, Lee 42

LEE, VA. (3-11)

Kandace Quillen 5-14 0-0 13, Pauline Tolentino 4-8 1-2 11, Drew Cox 4-7 0-1 8, Kattie Martin 2-5 0-0 4, Madison Jessee 2-11 0-0 5, Jaelyn Hall 0-1 0-0 0, Tatum Cox 0-1 1-2 1, Baylee Cox 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 17-47 2-5 42.

HARLAN (9-7)

Ella Karst 4-9 5-7 16, Angel Wynn 3-11 0-0 9, Natalee King 7-16 4-8 18, Aymanni Wynn 2-5 2-2 7, Alli Thompson 1-1 2-2 4, Emma Owens 2-3 0-0 4, Peighton Jones 0-1 1-2 1, Abbie Fields 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 19-47 14-21 59.

Lee 15 5 14 8 — 42

Harlan 6 19 13 21 — 59

3-point goals: Lee 6-20 (Quillen 3-10, Tolentino 2-4, Jessee 1-6), Harlan 7-20 (Karst 3-7, Angel Wynn 3-8, Aymanni Wynn 1-3, King 0-2). Rebounds: Lee 23 (Quillen 10, Tolentino 5, Martin 4, Jessee 3, D. Cox 1), Harlan 32 (Aymannie Wynn 9, Thompson 8, King 5, Angel Wynn 3, Owens 2, Jones 2, Fields 2, Karst 1). Turnovers: Lee 19, Harlan 22. Fouled out: Lee (D. Cox).