By Bill Templeton
Sports Writer

Middlesboro senior Keevi Betts provided the Lady Yellow Jackets with a boost just when they needed it most Friday night against district rival Bell County.
With her team trailing 36-34 after three quarters, Betts scored the first five points of the final stanza to stake her team to a lead it would not relinquish in a 53-48 win over the Lady Cats to end a 14-game losing streak against their county rivals
Middlesboro (3-1) got a clutch 3-point basket from freshman Emily Lambert, followed by a layup by Betts, during what resulted in a 12-3 scoring run by the Lady Jackets and a 44-39 lead by the midway point of the final quarter.
A long 3-point basket by sophomore Lyla Scearse cut the Lady Jackets’ lead to 45-44 with just under three minutes remaining in the game and two free throws by Bell junior Kairi Lamb tied the score at 46-46 less than 30 seconds later.
Middlesboro sophomore Millie Roberts buried a clutch 3-pointer on the Lady Jackets’ ensuing possession, and Bell misfired on two shots from behind the 3-point arc during the final minute.
Two free throws apiece from sophomore Morgan Martin and freshman Emily Lambert during the final 50 seconds sealed the win for Middlesboro.
Leading 13-12 after one quarter, Middlesboro got a pair of 3-pointers from Lambert and another triple by Roberts to extend its lead to 26-16 by the waning stages of the first half.
Trailing 26-20 at halftime, Bell (2-1) fell behind by as many as nine points, before catching fire for a majority of the third quarter.
Allen sandwiched a pair of 3-point baskets around a triple by McGeorge during a 9-0 scoring run by the Lady Cats that knotted the score at 30-30. A pair of free throws by Lamb staked Bell to its first lead of the contest, setting the stage for the final eight minutes.
Lambert led a balanced Middlesboro scoring attack with a team-high 17 points, while Betts and Roberts chipped in with 16 and 13 points, respectively.
Lamb led all scorers with 18 points. McGeorge added 14 points for the Lady Cats, while Allen finished with 12 points.
Middlesboro is next scheduled to play Dec. 19 in a tournament in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Bell is back in action Saturday at home in a 1:30 p.m. matchup with Thomas Walker. Va.
“I’m very proud of the composure we had in this game,” Middlesboro coach Sally Adams said. “Bell County is a great team that is very well coached. I’m glad we were able to be disciplined in our game plan and finish with the win.”

Middlesboro (53) — Lambert 17, Betts 16, Martin 5, Roberts 13, Derossett 2
Bell County (48) — Lamb 18, McGeorge 14, Scearse 4, Allen 12

Bell County 12 8 16 12 — 48
Middlesboro 13 13 8 19 — 53