For a Harlan team that lives and dies by the 3-pointer, a 67-57 loss to visiting Clay County on Saturday was an example of what can happen with the outside shots aren’t falling.

Harlan shot 20 percent (seven of 35) from behind the line and watched Clay control the paint with a 43-22 advantage on the boards.

“We need to do a better job rebounding, and it is something we will do,” Harlan coach Derrick Akal said. “Sometimes the shots don’t fall. We will continue to take the same shots if given to us. We competed for the most part, and we’ll continue to work and get better.”

Sophomore guard Connor Robinson scored 26 points to lead the 2-0 Tigers. Junior center Evan Landon and sophomore guard Connor Farmer added 15 points each, with Langdon also pulling down 16 rebounds.

Freshman guard Jordan Akal led the 1-1 Dragons with 20 points, even though he had an off night shooting at six of 24 from the field. Senior guard Kilian Ledford added 10 points.

Clay scored the game’s first five points and led by as many as seven before Cade Barnes sparked a 10-2 run with a pair of 3-pointers to put the Dragons up 12-11. Farmer, Jacob Curry and Robinson answered for the Tigers as Clay built a 17-14 lead by the end of the period.

Farmer sparked Clay early in the second period with three baskets and Robinson added two as the lead grew to 12.

Harlan hit only three of 18 shots in the quarter as Clay maintained control even though Carter Barnes provided a boost with two baskets off the bench.

Robinson and Farmer each had three baskets in the period and Langdon added two, along with six rebounds, as Clay built a 34-22 lead by halftime.

Harlan will return to action Tuesday at Middlesboro in a girls/boys district doubleheader.

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Hunter Henson scored 15 points and Tate Farmer added 13 as Clay County won 44-35 in junior varsity action.

Justin Begley tossed in six for the Tigers. Landon Hensley and Colby Sams added four each. Nathan Collins scored two.

Trey Barnes led Harlan (0-2) with nine points. Jaedyn Gist and Kaleb McLendon added eight each. Johann Gist scored four. John Mark Bryson and Noah Lewis each chipped in with three.

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Clay County 67, Harlan 57 CLAY COUNTY (2-0) Jacob Curry 3-8 1-2 7, Connor Robinson 11-20 4-6 26, Connor Farmer 6-12 3-4 15, Jakob Begley 0-2 2-2 2, Evan Langdon 7-10 1-1 15, Raven Abner 1-2 0-0 2, Hunter Henson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 28-54 11-15 67. HARLAN (1-1) Jordan Akal 6-24 6-8 20, Cade Barnes 3-7 0-0 9, Jared Hawkins 2-9 1-2 6, Kilian Ledford 3-11 3-6 10, Jon Eldridge 3-8 0-0 6, Jaeden Gist 0-0 0-2 0, Carter Barnes 2-3 0-0 4, Caleb Adkins 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 20-63 10-18 57. Clay County 17 17 18 15 — 67 Harlan 14 8 20 15 — 57 3-point goals: Clay County 0-8 (Robinson 0-1, Farmer 0-1, Abner 0-1, Begley 0-2, Curry 0-3), Harlan 7-35 (Cade Barnes 3-6, Akal 2-16, Ledford 1-8, Eldridge 0-5). Rebounds: Clay County 43 (Langdon 16, Robinson 12, Abner 5, Begley 4, Curry 3, Farmer 3), Harlan 22 (Gist 5, Cade Barnes 4 Hawkins 4, Ledford 3, Akal 2, Eldridge 2, Carter Barnes 1, Adkins 1). Turnovers: Clay County 17, Harlan 5. Fouled out: None.