HAZARD — Most coaches are happy to see their team build leads of 20-0 and 48-4 at the end of the first and second quarters.
But North Laurel coach Eddie Mahan sees it differently.
After witnessing his unbeaten Lady Jaguars (4-0) cruise past Prestonsburg with a 64-30 win during opening round action of Wednesday’s WYMT Mountain Classic, he saw plenty of room for improvement.
“It’s the constant battle of coaching,” he said. “Tonight our first half defense was overall good but our entire team was struggling offensively. We missed at least seven layups in the first half. To most, a 48-4 halftime score would seem like a good half but when you are focused in on our bigger picture you know that doesn’t cut it.”
After grabbing a 44-point lead in the first half, momentum swung to Prestonsburg’s favor after outscoring North Laurel, 18-12, in the third quarter.
But in the end, the Lady Jaguars sealed the deal while moving on in the tournament.
Brooke Nichelson scored 11 of her game-high 14 points in the first quarter while Mariella Claybrook dished out 10 of her 12 points in the second quarter. Bella Sizemore hit two 3-pointers and scored nine points while Bella Mahan hit two 3-pointers and finished with eight points.
