LEXINGTON — One game down, and three more to go.
If No. 7 North Laurel can get past No. 2 George Rogers Clark during Friday’s Clark’s Pump-N-Shop KHSAA Sweet 16 quarterfinal matchup, they’ll move to within two wins of capturing their first Sweet 16 championship, and go where no other Lady Jaguar basketball team has been before — the Final Four.
But first things first, they’ve got to get past a Lady Cardinals team that is coming off a 64-42 win over Franklin-Simpson.
North Laurel (31-2) advanced by rallying from a seven-point second half deficit while overcoming 23 turnovers with a 51-42 win over Ashland.
“Despite not playing up to our potential against Ashland, our confidence remains high,” North Laurel coach Eddie Mahan said. “The team’s focus and determination are still strong, and we’re now fully focused on our next opponent. With an opponent like GRC, you better come in prepared.”
The Lady Cardinals are led by a balanced scoring attack. Sophomore Kennedy Stamper is averaging a team-best 11.5 points per game while Teigh Yeast sports a 10.5 scoring average. Ciara Byers could be the x-factor, she’s averaging 10.3 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game. Jailenn Green is scoring 9.9 points per game while Kyleigh Chestnut is averaging 7.2 points per game.
“ I’ve always admired Coach (Robbie) Graham and his team for their physicality and aggressive defense,” Mahan said. “This year’s squad is no exception and honestly, might just be their most physical team yet. With Michigan commit Ciara Byers back in the lineup, they’ve got a significant boost. Point guard Kennedy Stamper is a force to be reckoned with, using her quickness and ability to flop to draw fouls, a tactic she’s mastered since I first started seeing her in middle school.
“Their team’s speed and endurance, reminiscent of a track team, enables them to push the transition game relentlessly,” he added. “This relentless pressure on both sides of the ball poses a significant challenge for all opponents.”
Mahan said the key to his team’s success is not to fall behind by a large margin quickly.
“Against GRC it is imperative to start the game strong, it’s essential to avoid falling behind against such a talented team,” he said. “Two keys for us that can make all the difference: minimizing turnovers and dominating the rebounds. This will prevent them from scoring easy baskets in transition and allow our team to dictate the game’s pace better. I believe they scored near half of their points in transition against Franklin Simpson. If that can be limited that is obviously a big help.
“The schedule we play for sure helps to prepare for these games, but to me it’s as much where you play your games in preparation,” Mahan added. “GRC or any team that plays defense like they do would struggle in our region with foul trouble. We make it a point to play tough road games in areas where referees often allow more contact. This helps us prepare for teams like GRC that are known for their defensive intensity. By experiencing different playing styles and environments, we’re building the resilience and adaptability we need to succeed against tough opponents in situations like these.”
