LONDON — Different faces in different places, but one thing remains the same, until someone in the 13th Region eliminates North Laurel in the 13th Region Tournament, the Lady Jaguars remain the team to beat.
Eddie Mahan’s squad has been the dominant team in the 13th Region since the 2017-18 season.
During that time, North Laurel has won four region titles, including the past three while compiling a 13th Region-best 225-47 record, three Elite Eight appearances, seven 13th Region title game appearances, eight consecutive 49th District championships, a 104-13 record against 13th Region teams, and a 54-game win streak against 49th District opponents.
Pretty impressive, huh?
The Lady Jaguars are coming off a 32-3 campaign that saw them win their third region crown in a row before bowing out in the Elite Eight of the KHSAA Sweet 16.
With that said, North Laurel graduated one of, if not the best, girls’ player to ever grace the halls of North Laurel High School in Brooke Nichelson.
Nichelson led the Lady Jaguars with a 23.8 scoring average, and an 8.9 rebounding average.
“One thing our teams have consistently carried from year to year is a strong understanding and expectation of winning,” Mahan said. “That’s what a healthy culture creates — older players naturally pass down our standards and values to the younger ones.
“Last season also revealed areas we need to improve,” he added. “The final two minutes of our Elite Eight game were a clear example of poor execution. That group put us in position to win, but our inability to finish offensively ultimately cost us. This year’s team has an even smaller margin for error and must learn from that tough experience.”
A solid summer leads many to believe North Laurel could very well win its fourth straight region crown.
“Overall, I was very pleased with our summer,” Mahan said. “My goal during that time is always to promote our players, challenge our team, and identify what we need to improve on both individually and collectively. In all those areas, this summer was a success.
“We faced a tough schedule and performed well in most games, but more importantly, it exposed our weaknesses,” he added. “With the loss of our seniors, we knew new players would need to step up and score and that wasn’t an issue. What limited us were fewer rebounds, steals, and overall possessions. This year’s team doesn’t have the same length as last season’s, so our success in those areas will be important.”
One player that is expected to fill Nichelson’s void is Mariella Claybrook.
Claybrook is a hot commodity among Division I schools after averaging 10 points and 8.3 rebounds per game last season.
She also joined by a solid nucleus of talent:
• Mariella Claybrook — she has 17 college offers. She is a 6’2 forward and the most versatile player Mahan has had.
“She can dominate in the post or handle the ball on the perimeter to help break a press,” he said. “She continues to improve daily, and her confidence is improving as her skill level does.
• Haley Combs — “She is great point guard, who holds two college offers currently,” Mahan said. “She is the prototypical pass first point guard. She will need to look to score more this season to help balance our offense.
• Bella Lewis — “She started nine games before she got hurt,” Mahan said. “She is a 5’4 guard that is extremely quick and is a good player on both sides of the ball. She can shoot the three or utilize her speed to beat you off the dribble. Will be called upon to guard the opposing team’s best guard on a nightly basis.”
• Bella Mahan — “She started in seven games, and is a 5’4 combo guard, who is very skilled. She is a good shooter who can also help handle the ball and initiate the offense. She was top three in scoring and assists this summer on the team.”
Mahan mentioned some possible new starters could be:
• Laylee Phillips — “Laylee was coming off the bench this summer and still was our second leading scorer,” Mahan said. “Her skill level is elite, but she will need some time to get used to the level of play. I look forward to seeing what she can develop into as a player this season.”
• Paisley Kilburn — “She is a good athlete and has tremendous potential,” Mahan said. “Consistency has been the issue for her but she is working hard and is showing much improvement.”
• Paisley Robinson — “Is an all-around good player,” Mahan said.
• Molly Morgan — She is a promising player, who is one of the team’s best defenders and rebounders. As her skills improve, her playing time will as well.”
• Ella Hubbard — “She’s a 6’1 forward, who is just an eighth grader, but her size and potential may put her in the rotation.”
“Allie and Sophie Gray are two very talented guards who just joined us this season,” Mahan said. “They have a bright future but may find a way to help us out this season.”
“We’re a very young team, with eight of our 15 varsity players in eighth grade, and all but three, being sophomores or younger,” he added. “Despite our youth, we’re an extremely talented group — we’ll just need to grow up fast and mature quickly on the court.”
Mahan mentioned having Claybrook is one of his team’s biggest strengths but mentioned other strengths as well.
“We have a tremendous player in Mariella Claybrook, who will naturally draw a lot of attention, but our greatest strength lies in our ability to space the floor with multiple shooters and execute in the half court more effectively than we have in recent seasons,” he said. “We’re a young and undersized team, which means we have some ground to make up. Those areas will be challenges we work through all season, but with the right mindset and effort, they won’t keep us from reaching our goals.
“This year’s team will have to truly play together,” he added. “We can’t rely on just one or two players to carry the load, and everyone has to contribute and buy into their role for us to be successful. That means committing to the little things like executing our offense with precision, communicating on defense, and taking pride in doing the details right every possession. It’s not easy to stay that disciplined, but if we do, it will make us a far more complete and unpredictable team and one that’s much tougher for opponents to prepare for and play against.”
Mahan said another challenging schedule will have his team prepared for the postseason battles his team will face.
“I’ve always believed that facing tough competition throughout the year is the best way to prepare for what truly matters which is postseason success,” he said. “Right out of the gate, we’ll face Assumption, one of the most athletic teams in the state, and they’ll test us in some of the areas where we know we need to grow. Games like that are exactly what help us improve and they will expose weaknesses, demand focus, and push us to elevate our level of play. By competing against elite opponents early, we’ll be better prepared mentally and physically for the challenges that come later in the season.
“Our goal remains the same every season which is to compete for a district title, contend for a regional championship, and ultimately bring a state championship back to Laurel County,” Mahan added. “The pride, tradition, and passion for basketball, especially girls’ basketball, in this community is second to none. That tradition sets the standard for what we expect from ourselves every year. Even though this team is young, our goals and expectations won’t change. We may have to grow and learn along the way, but our commitment to competing at the highest level and representing Laurel County with pride will never waver.”
