HINDMAN — Despite graduating a significant amount of experience from last season, the North Laurel Lady Jaguars showed that the standard remains unchanged, rolling past Hazard 62-29 to capture another WYMT Mountain Classic championship.
The win marked the second time this season North Laurel has defeated the Lady Bulldogs and extended the Lady Jaguars’ winning streak to four straight. North Laurel improved to 4-1 on the season with the championship victory.
“I am proud of my team for winning the WYMT Mountain Championship with a convincing 62–29 victory over the Hazard Bulldogs, pulling away after a slow opening stretch,” North Laurel patch Eddie Mahan said. “We didn’t start the game with the pace or rhythm we wanted offensively, but our defense set the tone and eventually broke the game open. Once we settled in and began to defend with purpose, everything else followed.
“Senior leader Haley Combs provided the spark we needed, setting the standard on the defensive end,” he added. “Her ball pressure, communication, and willingness to guard multiple positions ignited our energy and helped turn momentum in our favor. That defensive intensity spread throughout the lineup and limited Hazard’s scoring opportunities, allowing us to control the tempo for the remainder of the game.
“As she has all season, Mariella Claybrook was a dominant force, anchoring us on both ends of the floor,” Mahan continued. “Her presence around the basket, efficiency scoring inside, and rebounding made a huge impact and created opportunities for others. Bella Mahan and Bella Lewis gave us strong contributions, making smart plays, knocking down shots, and continuing to grow in confidence as the game went on.
“We also got excellent performances from Laylee Phillips and Paisley Kilburn, who both provided scoring punch and toughness,” he said. “Laylee’s ability to stretch the floor and Paisley’s aggressiveness attacking and defending added important balance to our lineup. Overall, this was a complete team effort built on defense, unselfish play, and leadership, and we’re proud of how this group competed to earn a Mountain Championship.”
Hazard struck first, jumping out to an 11-8 lead at the end of the opening quarter, but North Laurel quickly turned the game with its defensive intensity.
The Lady Jaguars held Hazard to just five points in the second quarter while scoring 16 of their own to take a 24-16 advantage into halftime.
North Laurel took complete control after the break.
The Lady Jaguars outscored Hazard 20-8 in the third quarter and followed with an 18-5 advantage in the final period, turning the contest into a decisive championship win.
Mariella Claybrook led the way for North Laurel with 20 points, 14 of which came in the second half, and was named tournament MVP. Laylee Phillips knocked down three more 3-pointers and finished with 13 points, while Paisley Kilburn added 10 points. Bella Mahan scored nine points and Bella Lewis chipped in eight.
North Laurel’s depth and balance were recognized following the tournament. Lewis, Mahan, and Phillips were named to the All-Tournament Team. Kilburn earned Sixth Man honors, while Mahan also received the Sportsmanship Award.
