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<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s been an exciting past four years if you\u2019ve been a North Laurel High School boys\u2019 basketball fan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seeing the team cut down the nets after winning the 49th District in multiple years along with last season\u2019s 13th Region championship, it\u2019s been one heck of a ride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And of course, getting to see this year\u2019s favorite to win Mr. Basketball, and University of Kentucky signee, Reed Sheppard, play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sheppard enters the season as the 25th ranked player in the nation, while having hopes of becoming the program\u2019s all-time leading scorer along with the career leading scorer in the 13th Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He currently has 2,931 career points, trailing North Laurel\u2019s Peyton Broughton\u2019s program record, 3,141 points, and Corbin\u2019s Andrew Taylor\u2019s 13th Region record of 3,628 points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also has totaled 743 rebounds, 951 assists, and 522 steals in only 129 games played.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stats are one thing Sheppard doesn\u2019t get caught up with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the most important things to him entering the season is getting to finish his high school career playing with his teammates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFrom Bush Elementary to North Middle School, and now to the high school, my teammates and I have enjoyed playing with each other and being coach by so many different coaches throughout the whole process,\u201d he said. \u201cWhether it\u2019s been soccer, baseball, basketball or football, I have enjoyed being able to play with my friends and hang out with them, and we are excited to get our senior season started at North Laurel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere\u2019s nothing like playing for the community that you grew up in,\u201d Sheppard said. \u201cEver since I\u2019ve been a little boy, I\u2019ve always been a fan of North Laurel. I\u2019ve had many family members, even my sister played for North Laurel. My friends and I have grown up in the North Laurel school system all of our lives. We now get to play in front of all the kids that want to play for North and in front of all the local fans. That means a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sheppard and his teammates are fresh off a 13th Region Tournament title run that saw North Laurel lose in the first round of the state tournament to Pikeville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sheppard said he realizes it will be tough to repeat, but he and his teammates are ready for the challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSince my eighth-grade year, the regional tournament has been very hard to win,\u201d he admitted. \u201cRight now, my teammates and I are focusing on getting better every day and preparing for the regional tournament because the regional tournament is always very hard to win, and this year will be no different. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEvery day has been fun from the preseason to now, we have been having fun,\u201d Sheppard added. \u201cWe are looking forward to playing some games and being able to travel to a bunch of different places and enjoying every minute of it as we do so.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With Sheppard signing a letter of intent to play for the University of Kentucky, he said now he and his teammates are ready for the task at ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am very blessed to be able to go through the recruiting process and I enjoyed every minute of it, but after my visits and conversations with the Kentucky coaching staff,\u201d he said. \u201cI knew that\u2019s where I wanted to go. I am very happy with my decision, but for now, I\u2019m really looking forward to finishing out my high school career with some of my best friends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the loss to Pikeville during first round of the Sweet 16 still lingering around, Sheppard said he and his teammates are focusing on the schedule ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAny time you lose a game to end your season, it stinks,\u201d he admitted. \u201cBut right now, we are focusing on just getting better day by day and trying to prepare for the Long season ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n