Rally Buster

Middlesboro’s Stuart Miller may have been the star of the game with 37 points in a 73-68 win over the Whitley County Colonels but coach Darrell Guffey had to be proud of his senior trio.
Senior Sammy Wilson battled early foul trouble but came back to score 22 second half points in leading the Colonels on a near come back. Guffey also saw the return of Travis Raper and Jeremy Taylor and the two finished in double figures with 15 and 10 points respectively.
The Colonels came out of the gate with a quick 7-0 lead as Adam Prewitt scored his only basket of the game to put Whitley County ahead, 2-0. A basket by Travis Road and a three pointer by Wilson put the Colonels ahead by seven before the Yellow Jackets got on the scoreboard.
But Middlesboro (11-12) did finally score and were able to put points on the scoreboard rather quickly. Junior Joe Mayes had the first five points for the Jackets and his two baskets pulled the visitors within a 7-5 score.
However back to back baskets by Josh Powers kept the Colonels ahead, 11-5. But a 6-0 run saw Middlesboro tie the game at 11-11. The Colonels held on to the first quarter lead by two points when Taylor scored on a put-back.
The difference in the game came in the second quarter as Middlesboro lit up the scoreboard for 29 points while holding the Colonels to 13 points. The Jackets led 44-30 at the half.
The Colonels refused to quit and eased back into the game behind the scoring of Wilson, who had 22 second half points.
Whitley County cut the lead to 60-48 by the end of three then went on a 20-8 run to tie the game at 68-all.
Miller hit one of his eight three pointers with 1:30 left in the game to give the Jackets the lead for good. Whitley County missed several chances to notch a field goal in the final seconds.

Middlesboro 73, Whitley County 68
Middlesboro 15 29 16 13- 73
Whitley County 17 13 18 20- 68
Middlesboro (73) – Miller 37, Hatmaker 8, Mayes 7, Hoskins 5, Short 7, Treece 2, Harrison 7.
Whitley County (68) – Wilson 25, Taylor 15, Raper 10, Powers 4, McCumbers 4, Prewitt 2, Roaden 6, Reeves 2.