The Harlan Lady Dragons can check another accomplishment off the list in a 2009-10 season that has already exceeded expectations.

Harlan ended an eight-game losing streak against Middlesboro that stretched back to the 2007 district tournament, rallying from nine down in the fourth quarter Monday to down the visiting Lady Jackets 52-48.

“It’s been a few years, and they kind of had our number,” Harlan coach Chuck Mitchell said. “I looked up with four minutes left and we were down five or six, but I felt good about where we were.

“We made some shots and got some rebounds. They shot some quick shots, which is unlike them. It was a big win for us as far as motivational purposes. Those three seniors, (Sarah) Scruggs, (Cheyenne) Hamblin and (Anne Corey) Johnson, really gave us great leadership.”

Sophomore forward Ashley Mullins scored 13 points to lead the 15-9 Lady Dragons. The trio of seniors were close behind as Johnson and Scruggs each scored 12 and Hamblin added 10.

Middlesboro (8-10) was led by junior forward Carissa Overbay with 20 points. Senior forward Samantha Coleman, one of the region’s top-ranked players, was held to only one point as she played sparingly due to bronchitis. Senior guard Mallory Shoffner has been slowed by a stress fracture in her right foot and also didn’t start.

Harlan trailed by nine early in the fourth quarter and was down by five with less than three minutes to play when Scruggs, Mullins and Johnson had baskets to start an 11-0 run. Shoffner’s basket just before the buzzer sounded was the only field goal for Middlesboro in the final three minutes.

“The bottom line was Harlan just wanted the ballgame more than our kids did. We got outhustled and outrebounded,” Middlesboro coach “I thought the first half they beat us to some loose balls. The second half we really hit the glass,” Mitchell said. “

Overbay and Taylor Moyers each hit 3-pointers as Middlesboro got off to a good start and led 12-6. Harlan reeled off eight straight points before Moyers hit another trey to put the Lady Jackets up 15-14 at the end of the period.

Harlan reeled off nine straight points in the second quarter, fueled by a 3-pointer from Madison Ball, to build a 23-18 lead. Middlesboro battled back behind baskets by Overbay and Shoffner to pull even at 37-37 by halftime.

“We knew there would be peaks and valleys for Madison Ball this season because we threw her into the fire as a sophomore,” Mitchell said. “I’m really proud of her and the team’s progress. I think we’ll continue getting better.”

The Lady Dragons led by four midway through the third quarter when Green called timeout and Middlesboro responded with an 11-1 run to close the period.

A 3-pointer by Ashley Mason to open the fourth quarter gave Middlesboro a 43-34 lead. Harlan outrebounded the Lady Jackets 13-7 in the fourth quarter as Johnson pulled down 10 of her game-high 18 rebounds.

“We were up, then we made some bad decisions on offense,” Green said. “People we needed to want the basketball didn’t want it. It just came down to them crashing the boards. We didn’t get second and third shots and they did.”

The win clinched the top seed for Harlan County in the 52nd District Tournament with a 4-2 record. Harlan can tie Middlesboro for the second seed at 3-3 with a win Thursday at Bell County. Bell and Harlan would tie for the third seed at 2-4 if Bell wins.

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Sophomore forward Gabrielle Rehnborg and eighth-grade guard Jourdan Ledford each scored 13 points as Harlan (7-4) won 52-21 in junior varsity action.

Kaitlyn Stittums added eight for the Lady Dragons. Samantha Henson and Lauren Hogue each scored six. Kelly Cox contributed four. Heather Holland added two.

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MIDDLESBORO (8-10)

Taylor Moyers 3-6 0-0 8, Shanice Gilbert 0-3 0-1 0, Ashley Mason 1-7 0-0 3, Carissa Overbay 8-16 0-0 20, Emily Pannocchia 2-3 1-2 5, Samantha Coleman 0-4 1-4 1, Mallory Shoffner 4-9 1-2 9, Taylor Hatchell 1-2 0-0 2, Rayann Moyers 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 19-51 3-9 48.

HARLAN (15-9)

Madison Ball 1-3 0-0 3, Sarah Scruggs 2-3 8-13 12, Cheyenne Hamblin 4-4 2-2 10, Ashley Mullins 5-6 3-8 13, Anne Corey Johnson 4-13 4-5 12, Gabrielle Rehnborg 0-2 0-0 0, Jourdan Ledford 0-3 0-0 0, Kailtyn Stittums 0-1 2-4 2, Samantha Henson 0-0 0-0 0, Lauren Hogue 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 16-45 19-32 52.

Middlesboro 15 12 13 8 — 48

Harlan 14 13 7 18 — 52

3-point goals: Middlesboro 7-19 (Overbay 4-8, T. Moyers 2-3, Mason 1-4, Gilbert 0-1, R. Moyers 0-1, Shoffner 0-2), Harlan 1-13 (Ball 1-3, Scruggs 0-1, Stittums 0-1, Ledford 0-2, Hamblin 0-6). Rebounds: Middlesboro 23 (Overbay 5), Harlan 32 (Johnson 18). Turnovers: Middlesboro 18, Harlan 16. Fouled out: Middlesboro (Gilbert, Mason), Harlan (Ball).