Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Harlan County seniors Jackson Huff and Bradley Halcomb played their final home game of their prep careers on Thursday.

The two helped the Black Bears defeat visiting Red Bird 102-32.

Huff scored 19 and Halcomb added seven points for Harlan County. Sophomore guard Trent Noah led the Bears with 21 points.

HCHS also got 10 points from Jonah Swanner, nine points each from Brody Napier and Hunter Napier. Taelor Haywood contributed seven points.

Red Bird suffered its 16th consecutive loss and dropped to 2-21 on the season, under first-year coach Jared Jones.

Senior forward Mark Ngulunga paced the Cardinals with 10 points and six rebounds.

Harlan County exploded for 34 points in the first quarter and led 34-13 after one period.

The Black Bears went into the locker room leading 62-23.

HC led 82-27 entering the final eight minutes and outscored the visitors 20-5 in the last quarter.

The Cardinals committed 27 turnovers. HC only had four.

Red Bird will play Oneida Baptist (15-13) in the opening round of the 49th District Tournament at Clay County on Monday. The Red Bird girls will meet OBI at 6, with the boys game to follow.

Harlan County (19-10) will play Bell County (22-5) on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Bell High in the 52nd District Tournament.
— — — — —

RED BIRD (2-21)
Juan Bynum 1-4 2-3 4, Mark Ngulunga 5-7 0-0 10, Felix Onusumba 0-4 0-0 0, Austin Osborne 2-4 1-1 5, Victorie Ilunga 4-9 0-0 8, Joel Manwell 0-3 0-0 0, Nathan Santanyera 0-1 0-0 0, Landon Belcher 0-1 0-0 0-0, Tristan Helton 1-1 0-0 2, Conner Napier 0-0 0-0 0, Trevor Osborne 1-1 1-3 3. Totals: 14-36 4-7 32.
HARLAN COUNTY (19-10)
Maddox Huff 2-4 0-0 5, Trent Noah 8-10 2-2 21, Jackson Huff 9-14 0-0 19, Jonah Swanner 5-6 0-0 10, Bradley Halcomb 3-6 0-0 7, Daniel Carmical 0-4 0-0 0, Jeremiah Clem 2-5 0-0 5, Tristan Cooper 0-0 0-0 0, Brody Napier 2-3 4-4 9, Jaycee Carter 2-3 0-0 4, Ethan Simpson 3-6 0-0 6, Hunter Napier 4-5 1-2 9, Taelor Haywood 3-3 0-0 7. Totals: 43-69 7-8 102.

RBHS 13 10 04 05 — 32
HCHS 34 28 20 20 — 102
3-point goals: Red Bird 0-5 (Bynum 0-1, A. Osborne 0-2, Manwell 0-2), Harlan County 9-25 (Noah 3-5, Haywood 1-1, Clem 1-2, B. Napier 1-2, M. Huff 1-3, J. Huff 1-4, Halcomb 1-4, Carmical 0-4).
Rebounds: Red Bird 20 (Ngulunga 6, A. Osborne 3, Ilunga 3, Manwell 3, Santanyera 2, T. Osborne 2, Onusumba 1), Harlan County 34 (H. Napier 6, Swanner 5, J. Huff 4, Clem 4, Haywood 4, M. Huff 3, B. Napier 3, Carter 3, Carmical 1, Simpson 1).
Turnovers: Red Bird 27, Harlan County 4.

Fourth Quarter Outburst Lifts HC
Harlan County broke open a close battle with visiting Williamsburg on Tuesday by outscoring the Jackets 27-17 in the fourth quarter to claim an 82-71 victory.

The Bears used a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter to escape with the win.

Sophomore guard Trent Noah powered the Black Bears with a 31-point effort and grabbing 11 rebounds. Freshman guard Maddox Huff poured in 20 points. Jackson Huff scored 14 while Jonah Swanner added 10.

Dre Ellis, a sophomore guard, led the Yellow Jackets with 24 points, including five 3-pointers. Evan Steely, a senior guard, scored 20.

Both teams nailed 11 3-pointers each. Jackson Huff had four for the Bears. Noah and Maddos Huff each hit three apiece.
Harlan County held an 18-16 edge after one quarter, but Williamsburg took a 35-34 lead at halftime.

The Black Bears went into the final period ahead 55-54.

The Yellow Jackets were without the services of junior guard Martin Shannon, due to sickness.
Williamsburg (16-13) posted a 60-49 win over Middlesboro on Thursday.

The Yellow Jackets will take on South Laurel (20-7) in the first round of the 50th District Tournament at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Corbin (21-7) takes on Whitley County (13-15) in the other game at 7:30 p.m.
— — — — —
WILLIAMSBURG (15-13)
Evan Steely 8-22 3-4 20, Evan Ellis 3-5 0-0 8, Dre Ellis 7-15 5-11 24, Bryson Potter 0-0 0-0 0, Connor Lay 3-5 0-0 7, Cooper Prewitt 2-3 0-0 4, Henry Bowling 3-5 0-0 8. Totals: 26-54 8-15 71.
HARLAN COUNTY (18-10)
Maddox Huff 6-14 5-6 20, Trent Noah 12-19 4-4 31, Daniel Carmical 1-5 0-0 3, Jackson Huff 5-11 0-0 14, Jonah Swanner 5-9 0-0 10, Tristan Cooper 2-6 0-0 4, Jeremiah Clem 0-1 0-0 0, Brody Napier 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 31-65 9-10 82.

WHS 16 19 19 17 — 71
HCHS 18 16 21 27 — 82
3-point goals: Williamsburg 11-27 (D. Ellis 5-10, E. Ellis 2-3, Bowling 2-3, Lay 1-3, Steely 1-8), Harlan County 11-29 (J. Huff 4-7, M. Huff 3-7, Noah 3-8, Carmical 1-5, Cooper 0-1, Clem 0-1).
Rebounds: Williamsburg 25 (Steely 8, D. Ellis 5, Potter 4, E. Ellis 3, Hale 2, Lay 1, Prewitt 1, Bowling 1), Harlan County 37 (Noah 11, J. Huff 7, M. Huff 6, Swanner 5, Cooper 5, Carmical 3).
Turnovers: Williamsburg 9, Harlan County 8.

Sports contributor Paul Lunsford wrote this story for the Harlan Enterprise.