Horns clip Bulldogs in 2OT classic, go 2-1 in week

First-year Johnson County boys basketball coach Ethan Harmon will be the first to tell you his Longhorns are a work in progress. They certainly showed signs of progress against Hampton on Austin Atwood Court on Saturday night. Senior point guard Carson Jennings scored 26 points and senior shooting guard Landin Lipford tallied 30 to help Johnson County outlast Hampton 102-101 in double overtime. {{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="ae0e6273-781d-4b99-adcf-80019693e7c4"}} The triumph against Ned Smith's Bulldogs was all the more impressive when considering Johnson County had suffered a 76-43 loss at Unicoi County the previous night. "It was heck of a turnaround," Harmon said. "We go to Unicoi for a tough district game on the road against a really good team, and we faced some adversity and things just didn't go our way. … I told our guys (before the Hampton game) anything can happen in rivalry games, you never know." The 'Horns (1-1, 3-5) also got 17 points from senior center Ethan Smith in the win against Hampton (6-3), including a clutch 3-pointer in the second overtime that seemed ill-advised when he was launching it. "Ethan Smith pulled up for a transition three and everybody was like, 'Oh no,'" Harmon said. "And then he hit it and everybody was like, 'Yes.' That was a shot down the stretch that we'll really remember. That was probably in the last minute or minute and a half of the second OT." If players are giving effort, Harmon likes to give them some freedom offensively. "He doesn't attempt a lot (of threes), but that's something that since this summer when I got here, I don't usually like to hold anybody back, and he can do it," Harmon said. "He hit a couple against Unaka because they left him open. They left him open at the right time and he was in the right place against Hampton, and he pulled it and, I mean, it swished." "So, that's something for him growing and developing and becoming a player that we believe as a staff that he can be. It's very exciting for us to see." Hampton began the fourth quarter with red-hot shooting. "Probably the first four minutes of the fourth quarter I didn't know what was going to happen because Hampton didn't miss," Harmon said. "They came out and I feel like they hit their first five or six shots in the fourth quarter. They hit everything. So that was kind of a tough moment. "We came out and answered the call. Carson and Landin down the stretch were great, along with Ethan Smith and everybody else, especially defensively." Jennnings and Lipford comprise a more-than-capable backcourt. "They're the sparkplug right now," Harmon said. "But our frontcourt is coming along, too. Ethan Smith showed up against Hampton and played a big role for us. And Kyle Harris also showed up and played big minutes defensively and rebounding, and he's always in the right spot. "And then probably in the last 45 seconds, Kaden Blevins had a huge steal for us in the backcourt that ultimately, I think, sealed the game. He made a huge play in a vital moment." Harmon has been well aware of Hampton coach Ned Smith since his playing days at North Greene. "Ned Smith's up there with anybody," Harmon said. "I mean, he's won a state championship. That's a good culture program and he's one of the best coaches in the area." The triumph was good medicine after Friday's league loss at Unicoi County. Jennings scored 13 points to lead Johnson County against the Blue Devils (2-0, 5-3) Lipford and Dylan Warren tallied 11 and 10 points, respectively. Unicoi County is coached by Brandon Broyles, who coached Harmon at North Greene (class of 2016). "Ethan's gonna work hard, he'll do a good job and those kids are playing their tails off for him," Broyles said. Indeed, the Longhorns hung around for two and a half quarters, but the Blue Devils went on a 33-11 run over the final 10:56. Senior guard Jackson Simmons poured in 27 points, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in the third quarter. "Jackson's a 2,000-point scorer and he's a good kid, too," Harmon said. "He can put the ball in the hole at every level. … Coach Broyles is a great guy and a great mentor. He helped me grow as a player and as a person." Johnson County opened conference play on Tuesday at home with a 71-58 defeat of Happy Valley. Jennings (20), Lipford (18) and Smith (17) combined for 55 points. The Warriors were within 31-26 at the half, but Johnson County outscored them 26-12 in the third period. "It was a good way to open up district play for us," Harmon said. "They're coached well. Shane Williams does a good job with 'em and they play really, really hard. I didn't think that we played our best game on Tuesday, but I think we did what we needed to do to come out successful in that one." Johnson County was to travel to David Crockett on Tuesday, its final game before Christmas. The Pioneers are in their first season under head coach Sam Tarlton, who had previously done an exceptional job at North Greene. "When I was in a little better shape I practiced with them sometimes," Harmon said. "I know a lot of those guys that were playing for him. We have a lot of mutual friends and we respect each other as coaches. "Once again, we're going up against a guy with a bunch of accolades who's been doing it for a little bit. We're gonna have to show up and play well." Harmon reiterated his appreciation for the support Johnson County has received thus far. "The home crowd showed up and was like a sixth man, per se," he said. "It was a great atmosphere, especially against Hampton. And Hampton traveled well, too. "I looked at our guys at the start of the second overtime, and I said, 'Guys, this is fun.' For both communities to come out and for both of us to play as hard as we did and put the product on the floor that we did – I think it was special for both communities."