CORBIN — Pineville had no answer for North Laurel’s trio of Brooke Nichelson, Bella Sizemore and Haley Combs during Tuesday’s 13th Region Girls’ Tournament first round action.
The trio combined to score 51 points in three quarters of action to lead the Lady Jaguars to a 73-25 win.
Nichelson finished with 25 points and seven rebounds while Sizemore added 15 points, and Combs finished with 11 points and seven assists. Emma Carl added nine points and 10 rebounds.
North Laurel shot 30-of-61 from the floor, including going 10-of-27 from 3-point range.
Eddie Mahan’s squad out-rebounded the Lady Mountain Lions, 29-16, while forcing them into 21 turnovers.
“At this stage, winning is the top priority, but it’s also rewarding to see our team excel on defense and have multiple players contribute on offense,” Mahan said. “When everyone’s involved and looking to score, we become a tough team to beat — and that’s exactly what we showed tonight.”
Pineville shot 8-of-25 from the floor, and 3-of-16 from 3-point range, and was led in scoring by Rachel Howard, who had nine points.
The Lady Jaguars came out in the first quarter and lived up to their pre-tournament hype, jumping out to a 19-0 lead.
By the time the first quarter was over, North Laurel’s lead grew to 27-6.
Sizemore scored 11 points during the opening period while hitting three 3-pointers. Combs had 10 points while Nichelson added six points.
North Laurel continued to dominate in the second quarter, outscoring the Lady Mountain Lions while taking a 48-13 edge into the locker room at halftime.
The Lady Jaguars shot 19-of-36 from the floor in the first half, including a red-hot 7-of-16 from 3-point range. They also out-rebounded Pineville, 19-9, while forcing the Lady Mountain Lions into 12 turnovers. Sizemore and Nichelson scored 15 points apiece in the first half while Combs added 11 points.
North Laurel limited Pineville to 4-of-16 shooting from the floor, including a 2-of-10 effort from 3-point territory. Arnett led the Lady Mountain Lions with five points.
Nichelson continued her impressive play, knocking down consecutive baskets while helping the Lady Jaguars to force the running clock with six minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Nichelson knocked down two 3-pointers in the third quarter while scoring 10 points as North Laurel took a 65-19 advantage into the fourth quarter.
Both teams traded backers throughout the fourth quarter with the Lady Jaguars pulling out the 48-point win.
