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A RESOLUTION recognizing the 2023-2024 Harlan County High School Black 1
Bears Boys' Basketball team. 2
WHEREAS, Harlan County High School Black Bears Boys' Basketball team 3
finished the 2024 season as runners-up in the Kentucky High School Athletic Association 4
(KHSAA) Boys' Sweet Sixteen Basketball Tournament; and 5
WHEREAS, the Black Bears finished this historic season with a record of 34 wins 6
against only five losses, with the 34 wins setting a school record; and 7
WHEREAS, the Black Bears were undefeated in eight games against district 8
opponents, compiled an 18-0 record in 13th Region play, defeated six of the 16 teams 9
that eventually made it into the Sweet Sixteen, and finished the regular season ranked 10
number four in the KHSAA rankings; and 11
WHEREAS, the Black Bears were impressive throughout the season, winning the 12
WYMT Mountain Classic Championship for the first time in school history and going a 13
combined 6-2 at two prestigious tournaments featuring competition from around the 14
country: the King of the Bluegrass Tournament in Louisville and the Arby's Classic in 15
Bristol, Tennessee; and 16
WHEREAS, the Black Bears' Sweet Sixteen run was the first time a team from the 17
Harlan County Public Schools advanced to the championship game; and 18
WHEREAS, the Black Bears were led by senior Trent Noah, an All-State selection 19
and 13th Region Player of the Year who averaged 29.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 5.2 20
assists per game this season. Noah, who has signed to play collegiately with the 21
University of South Carolina, scored 3,707 points in his career at Harlan County to 22
surpass 1995 Mr. Basketball Charles Thomas as the all-time leading scorer in school 23
history; and 24
WHEREAS, another star for the Black Bears was junior Maddox Huff, a Second 25
Team All-State selection who averaged 17.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per 26
game this season; and 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 2523
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WHEREAS, Noah, Huff, and sophomore defensive stopper Reggie Cottrell were all 1
named to the KHSAA Sweet Sixteen and 13th Region All-Tournament Teams; and 2
WHEREAS, other key players for the Black Bears were senior Caleb Johnson and 3
junior Jaycee Carter, who were both named to the 13th Region and 52nd District All-4
Tournament Teams, and junior sixth man Brody Napier; and 5
WHEREAS, the Black Bears' roster also included senior Mason Himes; 6
sophomores Brennan Avery Blevins and Kayden Hensley; and freshmen Landon Brock, 7
Bryson Bryant, Shemar Carr, Cole Cornett, Brady Freeman, and Gunnar Johnson; and 8
WHEREAS, the Black Bears were led by Head Coach Kyle Jones, the 2024 9
Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches 13th Region Coach of the Year, as well as 10
assistant coaches Cameron Carmical, Gary Greer, and Dondi Noah; and 11
WHEREAS, the outstanding season of the Harlan County Black Bears and the 12
immense pride these outstanding young men brought to the citizens of Harlan County 13
will be cherished for years to come; 14
NOW, THEREFORE, 15
Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 16
Kentucky: 17
Section 1. The members of the Senate join Senator Johnnie Turner in 18
recognizing the Harlan County High School Black Bears Boys' Basketball team on their 19
outstanding 2023-24 season, saluting their talent, determination, and dedication, and wish 20
all of the team members and coaches good fortune in future endeavors. 21
Section 2. The Clerk of the Senate is directed to transmit a copy of this 22
Resolution to Senator Johnnie Turner for presentation to the team. 23