BOYS' PREP BASKETBALL: North Hardin hosts Fort Knox is district opener (11/30)

North Hardin will try for its first 2-0 start in three seasons, while Fort Knox aims for its first 17th District win in five years when the teams square off at 7:30 tonight at Ron Bevars Gymnasium.

The Trojans (1-0) have won 12 straight meetings against the Eagles (0-1). North Hardin has scored at least 70 points in those games and won each by an average of 32.7 points with the closest being a 17-point victory in 2010.

Fort Knox last defeated North Hardin, 55-46 on Jan. 12, 2007.

Caverna defeated Fort Knox, 55-53 in the teams’ season-openers Monday. Sophomore Michael Armstead led the Eagles with 13 points, while junior Michael Powell added nine and junior Chris Jackson had eight.

North Hardin hung on for a 67-59 victory over Louisville Doss in its season-opener Tuesday. Senior guard Ruben Gosa led the Trojans with 20 points, while senior center Tyler Landry recorded a double-double with 13 points and 17 rebounds. North Hardin went 35-of-51 (68.6 percent) from the foul line. Senior guard Nick Lewis (13 points) and junior guard Khalil Rasheed (12) also reached double-figures.

In other games this weekend:

n LaRue County hosts the second Corky Cox Classic on Saturday evening. Green County (0-1) plays Louisville Evangel Christian (0-1) at 3:30, John Hardin meets Henderson County (1-0) at 5 and the host Hawks face Madisonville-North Hopkins (0-1) at 7.

The tournament is named in honor of the former LaRue County boys’ basketball coach and principal. Cox coached for 13 years at Hodgenville High School and LaRue County. His teams won three straight 6th Region championships from 1958-60. Cox averaged 19 wins per season and finished with 158 victories in 10 years at LaRue County.

Barren County defeated Green County, 76-34 in both teams’ season opener Tuesday, while Louisville Waggener defeated Evangel Christian on Wednesday, 84-40. Both teams also play tonight, with the Dragons taking on Adair County and the Eagles facing Washington County.

John Hardin and Henderson County last met Dec. 3, 2005, a 53-41 John Hardin win. John Hardin is going for its third straight season-opening win. Henderson County defeated Evansville (Ind.) Memorial on Tuesday, 64-45.

The Hawks will try for their third straight win in a season opener. Daviess County defeated Madisonville-North Hopkins, 60-47 on Tuesday.

n The Elizabethtown Panthers host the Taylor County Cardinals at 8 tonight in their season opener. The Panthers have won two of their last three season openers.

Elizabethtown has lost four of its last five to Taylor County and ended a four-game losing streak to the Cardinals with a 73-60 victory last season.

Taylor County (1-0) won its season opener 50-47 in overtime Tuesday over Washington County. The Cardinals haven’t won two straight to open a season since 2009-10.

n Central Hardin (1-0) faces West Jessamine (0-1) at 7:15 p.m. Saturday in the Farmer’s National Bank 12th Region Showcase at Mercer County. West Jessamine, which lost 77-68 to Fleming County on Tuesday, played at Franklin County on Thursday night.

The Bruins will try to start 2-0 for the second time in three years.

n North Hardin Christian (4-1) and Highlands Latin (1-4) meet at 6:45 tonight. The Falcons have won four consecutive games, while the Highlanders have lost four straight.

n Meade County takes on Logan County in the 11th District Tip-Off Classic at 6 p.m. Saturday at Hancock County. The Green Wave have lost two of their last three season openers.

The teams last met in 2010, when the Cougars beat Meade County, 66-57.

John Groth can be reached at (270) 505-1754 or jgroth@thenewsenterprise.com.