LONDON — Many teams would have entered a rebuilding phase after losing a player such as Brooke Nicholson, but Eddie Mahan’s North Laurel Lady Jaguars had one of the state’s top up-and-coming players ready to take over the reins in Mariella Claybrook.
Claybrook established herself as one of the top players in the 13th Region last season, but this year she took her game even further — emerging as one of the top players in the state while leading North Laurel in scoring (17.8), rebounding (11.0), and more than three blocks per game.
“Mariella has grown tremendously since she first stepped into the program,” Mahan said. “When she first was pulled up in middle school, you could see the potential, versatility and the athleticism, but like most players she was still learning the speed and physicality of the varsity level. Over time, she’s put in the work to develop her skills, her confidence, and her understanding of the game.
“Last year, you could see the flashes of greatness, but it was her own unselfishness that was holding her back,” he added. “She was very content to set back and see others succeed as long as the team won. Now, she’s become one of the players we rely on in big moments and you can see that in every aspect of her game.
“It’s really special because it’s a direct result of the work she’s put in,” Mahan continued. “She’s spent a lot of time improving her game and becoming more consistent, and it’s been fun to watch that growth. When a player commits themselves to getting better the way she has, it usually shows on the court. The greatest part of it though is even though her massive improvement she has never lost her team first mentality or her tremendous coach-ability.”
Mahan said the keys to Claybrook’s success has been her versatility and the energy to the floor. “She can impact the game in multiple ways whether it’s scoring, rebounding, defending, or creating opportunities for teammates,” he said. “Players like that are extremely valuable because they help you in so many different areas of the game. She can guard multiple positions and is the best shot blocker I have ever coached at any level.”
He also said her play during the 39th District and 13th Region Tournaments were huge to North Laurel’s success.
“She was very good during that stretch,” he said. “Those are the moments where you need your players to step up, and she did that on both ends of the floor. Her confidence and aggressiveness really helped set the tone for us during those games. The part most people didn’t know though was she played through an injury during that time and you would not have known it due to her toughness and dedication to winning.
“Mariella brings toughness, athleticism, and a competitive mindset,” Mahan added. “She plays hard, she defends, and she’s willing to do whatever the team needs. When you combine that with the improvement she’s made offensively, she becomes a really important piece of what we do. She has score 30-plus multiple times and she has also sacrificed her scoring to get her teammates involved. She will do whatever to win.”
