BOYS' PREP BASKETBALL UPDATE: North Hardin 77, Fort Knox 44 (12/01)

The North Hardin Trojans used a balanced attack to cruise past the Fort Knox Eagles, 77-44 on Friday in the 17th District opener for both teams at Ron Bevars Gymnasium.

North Hardin senior center Tyler Landry led the way with 16 points and 17 rebounds. Senior guard Ruben Gosa and junior forward Khalil Rasheed, who pulled down 10 rebounds, each added 12 points. Senior guard Nick Lewis and sophomore guard Tyronn King chipped in with 11 points apiece.

Senior Rashaan Allen paced the Eagles with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Sophomore Michael Armstead and senior Derek Miranda each scored nine points.

The Trojans (2-0 overall, 1-0 in district) raced out to a 29-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Landry and Rasheed fueled the start, combining to score the first 14 points, and then North Hardin guards – Lewis, Gosa, senior Scott Sterusky and King – got involved converting Fort Knox turnovers into layups.

North Hardin made 13 of its first 26 shots and dominated the glass in the first quarter, holding a 21-5 edge. Meanwhile, Fort Knox (0-3, 0-1) missed its first 14 shots and turned the ball over 10 times before Miranda made a free throw with 7:04 left in the second quarter. Armstead hit the Eagles’ first field goal nearly 10 minutes into the game.

Although they got off to a shaky start, the Eagles outscored the Trojans in the second and third quarters. They had the lead down to 20 with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter, but the Trojans scored seven straight points to close the game on a 28-15 spurt.

UP NEXT: North Hardin plays at Louisville Western at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the first game of a boy/girl doubleheader. Fort Knox plays at John Hardin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Chuck Jones can be reached at (270) 505-1759 or cjones@thenewsenterprise.com.