The game was tight throughout and in the end a succession of trips to the free throw line carried the Bobcats to a 70-69 win.
“I'm sure as a neutral spectator it was enjoyable to watch,” said Bobcats' coach EddieWhitaker. “It's a rivalry, our kids get up for it and the crowd gets into it.”
Junior Trey Goins, who led Bell with 25 points, and Freshman Shawnta Zachery, who finished with 21, combined to hit 12 of 16 free throws in the fourth quarter as the Bobcats overcame a six-point deficit.
With the Bell leading, 63-62, Bobcat forward Jordan Turner grabbed a key defensive rebound, then got down the court for an even bigger offensive board and put-back to give Bell County a 65-62 lead with 1:17 left to play.
Following a Middlesboro turnover, Bobcat point guard Jeremy Sanders got free inside for a basket to give Bell its biggest lead of the game at 67-62.
Casey Earls, who finished with 17 points, got an offensive rebound and put-back for the Jackets and it was a three-point game with 35 seconds to play.
After Zachery hit two free throws, Middlesboro forward Bart Short scrapped for a rebound and made a basket to make it 69-66 with 9.5 seconds left. Sanders made one free throw and Jacket's guard Stuart Miller, who led the team with 25 points, hit his fifth 3 of the game to end the scoring.
“They are a much-improved basketball team from the first time we played,” Whitaker said of the Jackets. “Bill (Jones) is doing a good job with them.”
Bell defeated Middlesboro 77-59 on Dec. 9, but the Jackets led for most of the game Friday.
Daniel Griffin hit a basket just before the half to put Middlesboro up 35-32. Short and Miller added a basket apiece to start the third and the Jackets had their biggest lead at 39-32.
“Both teams played hard, we just let it get away at the end,” Middlesboro coach Bill Jones said. “There were a couple of key turnovers. We've got to handle the ball better, our intensity on defense has to improve - when you're 3-9, you're just looking to get better.”
After the Bobcats came back and took a lead late in the third quarter, Miller hit two 3s in the final minute to put the Jackets back on top, 50-47. Griffin started the fourth with a 3 and Middlesboro seemed to be in control with a 53-47 lead.
“We went with man-to-man pressure and I think it changed the tempo of the game,” Whitaker said of the Bobcats late rally. “Our kids started playing with a little more confidence, before that they were kind of on their heels.”
Sanders hit a basket and Goins made a steal and a layup to cut the lead to two. Miller answered with a basket of his own and added a free throw to put the Jackets back up 56-51 with 5:39 to play.
Bryce Mickey made a lay-up after a steal and Goins added two free throws to cut the lead to one, 56-55.
Goins hit four more free thows over the next two minutes. The last of which put Bell on top, 60-59, with 2:30 to play. A Miller three-pointer gave Middlesboro its last lead, 62-60, at the 2:10 mark.
“I don't think Stuart gets the credit he deserves sometimes,” Jones said. “He gets hit, banged and held almost every game.”
Getting to the free throw line was definately a deciding factor in the game, with Bell hitting 18-of-28 from the charity stripe, while Middlesboro was 4-of-8. The Jackets were called for 21 fouls in the game. Bell was called for ten.
“They were in the double bonus almost the entire second half,” Jones said. “I don't know how you can tactfully say it - they shot 28 free throws, we only shot 8.”
Casey Earls provided an early spark for the Jackets, scoring 11 of his 17 points in the first half.
“We've still got to get him out of football mode, but he's going to be a good player for us,” Jones said. “He started for us tonight and he's going to see more time.”
Bell County was playing without leading scorer Ryan Whitaker, who is out with a broken leg. Coach Whitaker said Ryan's cast will be removed on Jan. 16 and more x-rays will be taken. “The best-case scenario is that he'll be back in February, but the reality is that he could be out for the rest of the season.”
The Bobcats (9-2, 3-1 district) went 4-1 playing in tournaments around the Christmas break and Whitaker said several players have stepped up in Ryan's abscense.
“Jeremy Sanders carries a big load, especially with Ryan out,” he said. “Jordan (Turner), Shawnta (Zachery), and Trey (Goins) are steadily getting a lot better. Bryce Mickey can play as well.
“I'm tickled to death with my team. We came in with only one experienced kid and I felt like we would struggle because of the inexperience. I'm very proud of them, they've stepped up and really played well.”
Bell County plays at Corbin on Tuesday. Middlesboro also plays Tuesday, at Cumberland.
- - -
BOYS
Middlesboro 20 15 15 19 - 69
Bell County 17 15 15 23 - 70
MIDDLESBORO: Stuart Miller 25, Casey Earls 17, Daniel Griffin 8, Tyler Hatmaker 8, Bart Short 7, Will Harrison 4.
BELL COUNTY: Trey Goins 25, Shawnta Zachery 21, Jeremy Sowders 13, Jordan Turner 5, Bryce Mickey 4, Robert Warren2.
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