BY PAUL LUNSFORD

Contributing writer

Bell County faced Knox Central on Friday for the third time this season.

With each team winning once, Halle Collins fired in 33 points and pulled down 20 rebounds as the Lady Panthers edged the Lady Cats 62-58 on Log Mountain.

Timberly Fredrick nailed a trio of 3-pointers and finished with 15 points for Knox Central. Jaylynn Fain added nine points.

Bell County was led in scoring by junior forward Gracie Jo Wilder with 19 points. She also grabbed eight rebounds. Senior guard Mataya Ausmus followed with 17. Lauren McGeorge, a sophomore guard added 12, including three treys in the game.

Kaira Lamb tossed in nine points and pulled down seven boards for the Lady Cats. Kylee Greer added one point and five rebounds.

Knox Central outrebounded the Lady Cats 37-25.

The Lady Panthers shot 46 percent from the floor on 22 of 48 shooting. Bell County hit 16 of 39 for 41 percent.

The Lady Cats were 20 of 31 from the free throw line while Knox Central hit 14 of 17 free throws.

Collins scored six points and Fain added five as the Lady Panthers took a 15-12 advantage after one quarter.

Knox Central took a 29-23 lead at halftime as Collins fired in 11 second-quarter points.

Wilder scored nine points in the third period as Bell County cut the deficit to 39-35.

Ausmus tossed in nine points in the final quarter and McGeorge added eight, but it wasn’t enough.

Both teams totalled 23 points each in the last eight minutes.

“The game was a battle throughout. I thought we came out flat and never really recovered,” said Bell County coach David Teague. “We played well in stretches but wasn’t consistent. Hopefully, we can learn from the game moving forward.”

Bell County (15-5) played host to North Laurel on Tuesday. The Lady Bobcats will welcome Middlesboro on Friday in the first game of a district doubleheader.

Bell High plays host to South Laurel on Saturday and Harlan on Jan. 31.

Knox Central (12-4) hosted district-rival Pineville on Tuesday. The Lady Panthers will host Morgan County on Saturday.

Wilder scores 33 in Harlan win

Wilder followed her 39-point performance on Tuesday with a 33-point effort Thursday as the Lady Cats moved within one win of locking up the 52nd District’s top seed with a 77-46 rout at Harlan.

Bell County improved to 3-0 in district play while the Lady Dragons fell to 1-1.

Senior guard Mataya Ausmus and sophomore guard Lauren McGeorge each scored 15 points for the Lady Cats, who have won 11 straight over Harlan.

Kairi Lamb and Addison Lucas each added four. Kylee Greer, Mikayla Gambrel and Nevaeh Allen all scored two apiece.

The Lady Dragons were led in scoring by sophomore guard Kylie Noe with 18 points. Aymanni Wynn tossed in nine points. Emma Owens added eight.

Wilder scored 19 points and Ausmus had nine as Bell County took a 24-7 advantage after one quarter.

Twelve points by Wilder in the second period stretched the lead to 43-24 at halftime.

Wilder poured in nine points in the third quarter as the Lady Cats extended the lead to 69-38.

Bell County will host Knox Central on Friday and North Laurel on Tuesday

Harlan (7-10) will play host to Middlesboro tonight in a girls/boys district doubleheader. The Lady Dragons will host Letcher Central on Tuesday.