[Cactus Jack]

Imagine that there's going to be a fairly nice crowd for this one. Clay County folks are glad to be back after Gray's disastrous tenure. Harlan County fans watching Noah's senior season. A lot of Corbin fans sticking around to see who they'll get in the final. A lot of casual fans looking on to see the Jones brothers match-up. If not for the Kentucky-Tennessee game or both of the Laurel schools already being eliminated, I imagine you'd see an even bigger contingent, but still looks like a nice crowd.

WYMT is streaming the game online and a handful of the local radio stations are also broadcasting. About to go to the floor for starting lineups.


Harlan County:
Trent Noah (Sr.)
Maddox Huff (Sr.)
Reggie Cottrell (So.)
Jaycee Carter (Jr.)
Caleb Johnson (Sr.)

Clay County:
Hayden Harris (Sr.)
Jerrod Roark (Jr.)
Elijah Bundy (Sr.)
Adon Grubb (Fr.)
Ethan Jackson (Jr.)

---

5-4, Harlan County lead after a Maddox 3 and Noah dunk. Bundy has all four points for Clay County.

---

5-4, Harlan County leads. Bundy picks up his second foul. Wagers checking in for Clay County. The Tigers jumped out 4-0 and had a lot of momentum, but Harlan County weathered it well and has settled in since.

---

Harlan County's Johnson with a single-leg takedown of Clay's Harris.

Johnson is given his 2nd personal. I think Clay is a little deeper than the Bears, so this is something to monitor. I've seen Harlan County a couple of times, but they don't go to their bench very often.

---

7-4 with 4:08 left in Q1 when Johnson went out. Clay County cuts it to 7-6 and Roark picks up a technical after he scores a basket.

A lot of whistles after the kerfuffle-- expect that to continue for awhile as both teams are playing with a lot of emotion and getting after one another.

It's now 8-6 with 3:44 remaining in Q1.

---

10-9, Harlan Co. after Grubb converts an and-one.

---

Teams trade turnovers and it's Tigers ball with 1:08 remaining in Q1. Harris at the line for two, Tigers trail 12-9.

---

14-11, Black Bears lead after Q1. They have possession.

---

14 all after Harris converts an and-one. 7:51 remains in Q2.

---

21-18, Clay leads and has possession after a Roark three.

---

24-18, Clay County after a Harris three.

---

24-21 after Noah answers.

---

26-21, Clay County leads with 4:26 remaining in Q1.

Tigers getting a balanced effort from Harris, Roark, Grubb, Bundy and company. It's been mostly Noah for the Black Bears. Quiet night for Maddox Huff outside of an early three.

---

29-21, Clay leads after a Roark three.

---

29-24, Clay leads after Maddox Huff hits another three.

Cottrell gets the and-one on a block and will be at the line for the old-fashioned three after a media timeout. It's 29-26, Harlan as we're just past the midpoint of Q2.

Caleb Johnson has two fouls, as does Elijah Bundy. See my note above about this being a 7-4 game when Johnson picked up his second.

---

Huge development as Harlan County's Caleb Johnson is called for an intentional foul. This is his third foul and we're just past the four minute mark in Q2. Harris at the line and he converts. Coach Kyle Jones is sticking with Caleb Johnson despite his three fouls.

---

Caleb Johnson just picked up his 4th foul. He was lucky not to get a tripping call in the sequence right before he picked that one up. 32-26, Clay County leads and Harris is at the line for two. 2:24 remaining in Q2. This is a very emotionally charged game.

---

36-26, Clay County after a Roark three.

---

36-28, Clay County leads with 56 seconds remaining in the half. Huff had made a really tough shot while looking to draw a foul to bring the lead back to single digits.

---

36-30, Clay County leads at the half. This one is a WAR. I don't think Clay County's last full possession in the half (excluding the half-court heave at the buzzer) went as they'd drawn it up. Tigers have had a couple of similar possessions, otherwise they could be up even more.

Will be interesting to see the second half. Again, an emotional game with a lot of physical kids getting after one another. Caleb Johnson has four fouls, Elijah Bundy with two for the Tigers. Harlan County has only played six kids (starters and Brody Napier) so far. Clay County has played at least eight (starters, Aiden Wagers, Grayson Hooker, and Tate Rice).

Clay shot 12/29 from the field and 4/6 from three. 41% from the field and 25% from three for Harlan County. Noah has 14, Huff has 8 for Harlan County. Clay County winning the boards 17-15. Tigers with 9 assists to the Black Bear's 6. Both teams have 6 turnovers.

---

Ethan Jackson with a tripe to open Q3. 39-30, Tigers lead. Immediately after, Harlan attacks Bundy and he picks up his 3rd foul. Michael Jones is leaving him out. 39-32, Clay. Tigers add another 2 after a Grubb basket. Such a balanced attack so far for Clay.