Note: This story is in the 2017 Sporting Times basketball magazine, which is on newsstands throughout Bowling Green and surrounding areas now.
COLUMBIA, Ky. – Adair County’s boys’ basketball team has been one of the most dominant programs in all of Kentucky in recent years.
The Indians, who have won 53 games over the course of the past two seasons – including a District 20 championship and Region 5 runner-up accolade – have made a name for themselves during that stretch.
In 2016-17, Adair County went an astounding 32-2 overall while posting an 8-1 mark in District 20 and a 22-1 showing in Region 5. The Indians captured the district championship with a 90-72 win over Taylor County, but were then upset 67-66 by the same opponent in the region title game.
“I think we had the best regular-season record in the state last year,” third-year head coach Deron Breeze told The Sporting Times. “We’ve won 53 games in two years – that’s probably about third our fourth in the state after Bowling Green and Covington Catholic. This group we have now can be really, really special. We’re excited to see how we can do.”
Breeze’s third group as the head man in Columbia could be his best one yet.
Not only do the Indians return sharpshooting guard in senior Corey Melton, but they also add the country’s top freshman in flashy guard Zion Harmon. Melton averaged 17.6 points per game in 2016-17 while shooting 43.6 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from three-point range.
Harmon, on the other hand, spent last season helping lead Bowling Green High School to its first-ever state championship. The then-eighth grader – already the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2020 – was the Purples’ second-leading scorer with 16.8 points per game.
He has now taken his talents to Adair County.
“When you get Zion, we’re molding it all together with him in the fold now,” Breeze said. “Just trying to make it to what he excels in. Obviously, he is going to lead the team, so we’ve got to make him comfortable and go about what he wants to do.
“Corey is the only one I have back with experience – he’s started all four years,” Breeze added. “I think he led the team in scoring the last two years. He can shoot, so that’s going to be his role. We have our eye on certain people to step up, but we really don’t know who will do that until we actually begin playing games out on the court.”
Already nationally known, Harmon caught even more attention last year in the semifinals of the 2017 KHSAA/Whitaker Bank Sweet Sixteen in Lexington.
With his then-Bowling Green club trailing 79-78 to Scott High with under a minute left, Harmon drove down the Rupp Arena court, went right and then made his way through the lane and scored the game-winning bucket to give the Purples an 80-79 win.
Although Adair County wasn’t one of the 16 teams in the tournament, Coach Breeze was in attendance to witness Harmon hit the shot he did on the biggest stage.
“I told his Dad when he moved to Kentucky that he was the best player in the state going in,” said Breeze. “I was pulling for them when he hit the shot against Scott. That was a big shot, man. I didn’t really see anyone up there that could beat them. We’re just fortunate enough that he’s here now.”
Now with a new team – one that lacks much varsity experience – Harmon says that he is prepared to lead the Indians.
“I think I can bring a lot of leadership and a different type of mindset to the whole program and get them to the state tournament,” he told The Sporting Times. “The number one thing is not letting anyone be lackadaisical or not taking the extra step in practice and things like that. That all makes a big difference when it comes to playing games.”
Harmon has spent the high school basketball offseason playing for Team Boo Williams on the AAU circuit and for USA Basketball, two of the most prestigious basketball organizations in the country.
With playing against other highly rated competitors, the gifted freshman said it only helps improve his game and enhances his leadership ability.
“It just helps with a lot of experience and just getting out and playing against taller, quicker and stronger opponents,” said Harmon. “Playing against competition that will probably be playing college basketball one day – and probably later in the NBA – helps a lot.”
As for the Indians as a whole, Coach Breeze knows they are more than capable of putting together another successful campaign – and maybe one that even tops last year’s. He just hopes his club uses the lengthy preseason practice time wisely and is ready to roll when Nov. 28 arrives.
“After the way last year ended, we’re really excited to get back going,” added Breeze. “We’re doing things a little bit different – a new offense compared to what we’ve had the last couple of years. In Kentucky you have a long time before you play, I think in Tennessee you only get two or three weeks, but here you get like five or six. Surely we can get it right by then.”
