CORBIN — Eddie Mahan’s No. 6 ranked North Laurel Lady Jaguars are one win away from capturing their third consecutive 13th Region championship in a row after eliminating Corbin during Friday’s 13th Region Girls’ Tournament semifinal action.
The win improved to 30-2 with the win, running their postseason win streak 14 games.
They’ll play crosstown rival South Laurel Saturday at 7 p.m. to see who will be crowned 13th Region champions.
North Laurel is trying to become the first team to 3-peat as 13th Region champions since Clay County won four regional titles in a row from 2009 to 2012.
The Lady Jaguars are also attempting to become the first Laurel County girls’ basketball team to 3-peat as region championships since Laurel County High School accomplished the feat when the Lady Cardinals won four 12th Region titles in a row from 1982-1985.
“We did not come out playing with poise on either side of the ball,” Mahan said. “After we adjusted though our team started to settle in. Mariella Claybrook has not been in foul trouble in a single game this season and then has had to sit the majority of the first half in the first two region games. It’s been hard to adjust to being without one of your most consistent and vital pieces during those stretches but our team found a way. “Brooke finished with 27 but I thought it was a good team effort tonight offensively and you seen that more in the second half,” he added. “It’s great to be back in the region championship. It’s the standard of our program to be competing at this level every season. South Laurel has had a great season and I’m not surprised to see them in the region championship. They are disciplined and do a great job defensively. We played about as bad as we could play the first time we played so I’m sure our team is excited to get another chance at redemption.”
Brooke Nichelson led North Laurel with 27 points and nine rebounds while Mariella Claybrook had 13 points and nine rebounds. Bella Sizemore added 13 points and two assists while Bella Lewis added nine points and one steal. Emma Carl scored seven points and finished with two assists and four steals. Haley Combs added nine assists, four rebounds, and five steals.
Lydia King led the Lady Redhounds with 16 points while Kylie Clemens and Raegan Walker scored 10 points apiece.
Both teams traded baskets throughout the first quarter before a basket by Walker gave Corbin a 13-12 lead with 59 seconds remaining in the first quarter. North Laurel closed out the period with a 5-1 run that included Nichelson sinking a 3-pointer beyond half out at the buzzer, giving the Lady Jaguars a 17-14 lead.
North Laurel increased its lead to 36-29 at halftime while shooting 14-of-31 from the floor, including a 6-of-18 effort from long range.
Nichelson had 14 points in the first half while Lewis added nine points, and Carl had five.
Corbin shot 11-of-22 from the floor, and 4-of-6 from 3-point range. The Lady Redhounds out-rebounded the Lady Jaguars, 17-14.
Raegan Walker and Lydia King each scored 10 points apiece for Corbin.
The Lady Redhounds cut their deficit to 42-35 midway through the third quarter, but North Laurel took control of the game with a 10-0 run that saw Sizemore score four points while Nichelson added an old fashioned 3-point play to give the Lady Jaguars a 52-35 lead with under three minutes remaining in the period.
Corbin’s Addy Wilson hit consecutive 3-pointers to cut the Lady Redhounds’ deficit to 52-41 with a minute remaining but Nichelson added two free throws to make the score 56-41.
Clem added an old-fashioned 3-point play to make the score, 56-44, entering the fourth quarter.
North Laurel put the game out of reach by opening the fourth quarter with a 12-0 run while pushing its lead to 68-47.
