Dragons drop to 10-4 on season

Published 4:33 pm Thursday, February 25, 2021

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By Paul Lunsford

The Hazard Bulldogs held visiting Harlan to 19 first-half points and rolled to an 83-69 win on Tuesday.

The Green Dragons scored 50 points in the second held but dropped to 10-4 on the season.

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Senior guard Wade Pelfrey powered the Bulldogs with 23 points. Andrew Ford, a junior forward, scored 21. Eighth-grade guard Samuel Shoptaw added 10. Jarrett Napier, a senior guard, tossed in nine points.

Junior guard Jordan Akal led Harlan with 21. Jaedyn Gist poured 17 while Kaleb McLendon scored 11. Kyler McLendon had nine.

Pelfrey fired in nine points in the first quarter as Hazard took a 20-11 advantage. Akal had six points in the first period.

Jamel Hazell came off the bench and scored his seven points in the second quarter as the Bulldogs led 42-19 at halftime.

Akal had 10 third-quarter points as the Green Dragons cut the deficit to 59-43.

Gist tossed in nine points and Kaleb McKendon scored seven as Harlan outscored the Bulldogs 26-24 in the final quarter.

Harlan (10-4) returns to action Thursday in the opening round of the All “A” Classic State Tournament. The Dragons will visit Lexington Christian (8-7) at 7:30 p.m.

Hazard (15-3) travels to Cordia (6-9) on Thursday and battles South Laurel in the Big Lou Coaches Verses Cancer Classic on Saturday at Buckhorn.

Sophomore guard Sawyer Patrick scored 12 points as Hazard claimed a 46-24 win in the junior varsity game.

Sophomore guard Caleb Morris poured in 11 points. Seth Caudill, an eighth-grader, had 10 points for the Bulldogs.

Junior guard John Bryson led the 0-7 Green Dragons with 10 points. Matthew Pennington, a sophomore forward, followed with seven points. Johann Gist scored five while Darius Akal added two.

HAZARD (83) – Wade Pelfrey 23, Andrew Ford 21, Chris Jones 7, Samuel Shoptaw 10, Max Johnson 2, Jarrett Napier 9, Jamal Hazell 7, Cameron Caudill 4.

HARLAN (69) – Jordan Akal 21, Kaleb McLendon 11, Kyler McLendon 9, Jaedyn Gist 17, William Austin 5, Johann Gist 4, Matthew Pennington 2, John Bryson 0, Trey Barnes 0, Derek Pruitt 0.

Harlan 11 08 24 26 – 69
Hazard 20 22 17 24 – 83

3-Point goals: Harlan 5 (Akal 2, Kalen McLendon 1, Kyler McLendon 1, Austin 1), Hazard 5 (Pelfrey 2, Shoptaw 1, Napier 1, Hazell 1).