After four wins in four days at this year’s BSN Borderline Classic, the Whitley County Colonels now stand at 8-2 overall ahead of the Christmas holiday.
“I think we have a chance to be as good as anybody,” Head Coach Eric Swords said after his Colonels defeated Harrison County, 74-44, Monday night in the final game of the 2025 Borderline Classic. “Our kids are going to battle, play hard, and find ways to help us win.”
Swords and company welcomed 13 other teams into Charles M. Lawson Gymnasium between Friday and Monday for four days of exciting roundball action.
The Colonels themselves faced Green Valley Christian out of Nevada, Bethel (Ohio), Lexington Christian and Harrison County.
Sophomore Bryson “Tootie” Mahan had a huge game against Green Valley Friday, scoring 24 points and leading Whitley to a 77-57 victory. Senior Henry Bowling scored 13 points in the opening contest of the Classic, while sophomore Levi Jackson contributed 11 points.
The Colonels were back at it Saturday, facing Bethel. Mahan once again led the way in the scoring category with 18 points, followed by Bowling with 14 and 11 points from sophomore Riley Fuson. In the end, Whitley would go on to secure their second consecutive 20-point victory, 68-48.
Sunday’s contest was much more competitive, as the Lexington Christian Eagles looked to hand the Colonels their first loss in the Classic. The host team rose to the occasion, however, with Mahan scoring 20 points, Jackson scoring 16 points and senior Dee Parker chipping in 15 points to lead Whitley to a statement-making 73-64 win.
“That was a huge win for us,” Swords would later say of the victory over the Eagles. “All of the kids battled and played well.”
Swords said he was a little worried coming into Monday’s finale, considering the team had competed in four straight days of intense competition. He said he thought the Colonels looked a little sluggish in the first half against their opponents from Harrison County, but he also thought they responded very well after the half to close out the Classic with a thirty-point win, 74-44.
Fuson led the way for Whitley in Monday’s contest, scoring 20 points. Mahan was not far behind with 15 points, and Bowling scored 13. In all, eleven Colonels contributed offensively to the Colonels’ final victory in the 2025 Borderline Classic.
When asked to evaluate where his team stands after the first few weeks of the season, Swords said that he thinks one of the Colonels’ biggest strengths moving forward will be their ability to shoot the ball. “We are waiting on that to really start clicking, and for us to put some better stretches of play together,” he said.
Swords also pointed out that his squad features a lineup that is somewhat smaller in stature, but he has been very pleased so far with how his guards are battling for rebounds and regularly handling larger opponents defensively.
After the holidays, Whitley will hope to make a run at a Kentucky 2A Section 7 championship title at Bell County High School.
