01/30/2026
BY JACK BULLOCK
HARRISBURG – Hardin County head coach Rodney Lane doesn't really like playing any sort of zone defense but Saturday, with some first half foul trouble he reluctantly switched from his usual man-to-man and it allowed Norris City-Omaha-Enfield to score the final eight-points of the first half.

This scoring run closed the Fighting Cardinals' deficit to just 30-28 at the break.

But going back to his standard defense in the final two quarters proved to be the right move.

Hardin County forced NCOE into mistakes and missed shots in the final two quarters as they pulled away to a 58-45 title game triumph.

The Cougars are now 18-6 on the season with their winning streak reaching 12-games.

Hardin County hasn't lost in 2026.

“We got a lead in the first half and Massie went out (fouls in the second quarter) and we kind of gave that away. We shot a few bad shots at that time,” said Coach Lane. “Our defense has been pretty good all year but I didn't think we were very good in the first half. In the second half we were way better.”

Offensively guard Landon Fricker delivered the goods on Saturday, racking up 25-points in the win, including five made 3-pointers.

The 6-foot senior canned a back-breaking 3-point bomb in the Cougars first possession of the fourth quarter, pushing the Cougars lead to 47-38

Coach Lane has no fear when it comes to his offense taking its time, especially with a lead.

The Fricker 20-footer came at the 6:27 mark of the final quarter as Hardin County ran clock from the beginning of the frame.

Six-two senior forward Nate Massie also came up big with 14-points, with a huge offensive rebound off of a missed free throw for a stick back and a 52-41 advantage with under four minutes left.

Five different Cougars added scoring balance with five-points each; senior Caden Heberer, senior Christian Winters and sophomore Xavier Whooper.

Junior Bryden Banks came up with four-points for the winners on Saturday.

“We have relied on him (Fricker) Massie and Banks all year for scoring. We got some other people involved tonight,” said Coach Lane. “We're playing well right now and this is a good atmosphere to play in and it is always packed on this night (championship). It helps us get ready for a regional tournament.”

Norris City-Omaha-Enfield fell short in its bid for back-to-back GEC Tournament titles, having won the event in 2025.

Coach Jordan Johnson's crew fell to 15-10 on the season.

The Fighting Cardinals were topped in scoring by 5-8 senior point guard Javan Garrett with 23-points, including six made 3-pointers.

Two other Cardinals; senior Jaxon Simmons and freshman Aven Scala, scored eight-points apiece.

Conner Graves, a 6-2 senior, added six for NCOE.

NCOE held a brief lead in the game after Garrett nailed down his first 3-pointer for a 7-6 advantage.

This turned out to be the only time the Cardinals were in control of the scoreboard.

Winters scored on a rebound and turned the basket into a three-point play.

Fricker hit his second 3-pointer of the stanza and closed the first with a steal and fast break lay in for a 19-13 lead heading to the second quarter.

The senior added another 3-pointer as did Massie from the right wing.

Whooper added the third long range shot, nailing his trey from the top of the arc.

A score by Winters in transition off of a steal and assist by Massie made it 30-20 Hardin County with 4:21 left in the half.

Going to a zone didn't turn out to be the right move as Coach Lane found out.

NCOE got points on a drive by Garrett and a fast break score by Graves to start its run.

Simmons added a basket and, subsequently, two free throws as the first half ended with the Cardinals down just two.

Three times in the third quarter Massie produced points on the inside.

Two of the baskets came while being fouled and the senior left-hander converted both “And-One's.”

Fricker got to the rim on a drive to extend the lead to 44-35 late in the third quarter.

But Garrett responded with his fourth 3-pointers to send his team to the fourth quarter down just six-points.

The first possession of the final frame had Hardin County moving the ball around in their half-court offense with Fricker finally launching a shot from the right wing behind the 3-point line.

The shot connected and began an 8-3 mini run that gave the Cougars room to breathe.

Another score from Fricker on an assist from Massie, plus an additional score by Massie on a rebound basket, pushed the lead back to double-digits.

Fricker's final points came on another cut to the basket off of the Cougars spread offense and an assist from Banks.

A score on lay up, this time by Whooper, and two free throws by Winters closed the scoring for Hardin County.

Garrett capped of his shooting night with a cosmetic 3-pointer in the final :30.

“I couldn't be prouder of this group and what they have been able to accomplish so far,” said Coach Lane. “These kids have been really resilient, they;ve been that way all year. They don't have quit in their vocabulary anywhere. These kids are going to go out and fight every single night.”

Hardin County won the rebounding war at 27-15 and took better care of the ball with just eight-turnovers, with just one in the final eight minutes.

The Cougars hit 22-of-48 overall, 7-of-20 from long distance, in its third win over the Fighting Cardinals out of four meetings this season.

Hardin County has won 17-of-18 games after a 1-5 beginning of the season.

NCOE hit just 18-of-41 overall and 6-of-16 from the 3-point line with Garrett hitting all six.

The Cougars will get a shot at a state ranked team on Wednesday as they travel to Jefferson County to play Webber Township in a game added to the schedule recently.

The Cardinals will host Galatia before also heading up to Webber for a game on Friday.

“It's going to be a big measuring stick for us (Webber) and we're looking forward to it,” it's a long trip but it will be good for us this time of year,” said Coach Lane.

THOMPSONVILLE 37, GALLATIN CO. 30
The Tigers pulled off a neat trick on Saturday night in the third place game of the GEC Tournament.

After building a 37-18 lead after three quarters of play, Coach Kevin Smith's club didn't score a point in the fourth quarter where they committed seven turnovers and missed all five of their field goal attempts.

But Gallatin County only made a 12-point dent in the final score.

Thompsonville improved to 13-11 on the season with the victory and the Tigers were led by two double-digit scorers.

Senior Liam Reagan notched 13-points and junior Mason Marino tossed in a dozen to lead Thompsonville to the win.

Coach Smith got four-points each from junior Lucas Blades and freshman Ronnie Duncan and two-points apiece from junior Mace Ridgeway and junior Bradyn Gaither.

Gallatin County, now 12-12 overall for head coach Matt Lawler, were led by junior Jaxon Carney with just eight-points with senior Jordan Montgomery finishing with six.

Thompsonville was doing quite well until the final quarter where they had 12 consecutive empty offensive trips.

As a whole, the Tigers ended up 13-of-30 from the field, 1-of-5 from the three point line and 19-turnovers, seven in the final eight minutes.

They were also out-rebounded by Gallatin County, 27-22.

But they also forced 20-turnovers by the Hawks and held them to just 10-of-39 overall, 3-of-10 from the arc.

Thompsonville took the lead early and doubled up the Hawks 26-13 by the halftime break.

The Tigers have road games this week with Crab Orchard and Carrier Mills-Stonefort while Gallatin County also gets to make a trip to Webber Township and they host Carrier Mills-Stonefort.