Last season Isaac Wilson’s Corbin Lady Redhounds were the hunters, but after reeling off three impressive wins to capture the 13th Region championship, they are now the hunted, and Wilson wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Last season was a huge leap forward for our program and our community,” he said. “Each season, we have had goals of making the regional tournament and putting our name in the hat to be a team to win the regional. Those goals are what have always fueled us not only from game to game, but from practice to practice.
“Last season was our first opportunity to represent the 50th District in the 13th Region tournament and boy did we take advantage of it,” Wilson added. “Going into the regional tournament, I expected to experience a learning curve because of the different environment and hype that The Arena brings to that tournament. To my surprise, it looked as if we had been in the 13th Region Tournament before. Our kids had an unbelievable showing and truly came together at the right time. We believed all year that we had a team good enough to win the 13th Region tournament and spoke about it daily, and we were able to prove that on the floor during the tournament.”
Accomplishing the feat of not only winning the region title but defeating Knox Central, North Laurel, and South Laurel to capture the crown made it even bigger and better for Corbin.
“The road we had to travel to bring home the 13th Region Championship last year is a complete testament to the mentality of the team we were blessed with last season,” Wilson said. “It would have been easy for us to lay down after our disappointing loss in the district tournament to South Laurel, but our kids understood that our season was not over after losing that game and that more work was to be done. The kids responded to the coaches, and we turned our focus to the regional tournament. “We spoke about how at the end of the day the draw of the 13th Region Tournament did not matter, as it took three games to win the tournament,” he added. “It was important for us to focus on the next game at hand and truly take it one game at a time, and we were able to do that as a team. It took a level of maturity that I wasn’t sure that we had since we had never been in that type of environment before, but our team showed they were prepared for the challenge ahead. We have always thrived in the ‘David’ role if you will and having a chip on our shoulder to prove people wrong, and that was exactly the role everyone had us in during the tournament, which really helped us gain confidence as the tournament progressed.”
Wilson said he talks to his players daily about being the hunted now once they step on the court.
“I will take the group of kids I have into battle any day, and they are always ready when it comes to a challenge,” he said. “I have spoken to our kids about how every game we will see each team’s best effort and how the target will remain on our back. We have very good experience at hunting as it relates to the previous three or so years, as we have always been clawing and fighting to become relevant in the 13th Region conversation and talked about as a team and program that can get the job done. Because of that experience, I feel our kids are ready for the challenge that the role of hunted brings.”
Wilson isn’t shy when it comes to liking his team’s chances of making a deep postseason run, and he shouldn’t be with all the talent he returns.
“This basketball team has all the makings to be a state title contending basketball team,” he admitted. “Our schedule for the 22-23 season was made in order to push us to our limits and compete against some of the best teams in the state night in and night out. With this schedule, my hope is that it prepares us for the postseason and helps challenge us not only physically but mentally as well so that we are the best version of ourselves going into tournament play. We were able to get a taste of Rupp last season, and we feel as a team and program that we can take the next step and win some games at the state tournament if we are fortunate enough to make it back.
“We talk to the kids constantly that our past achievements are nice to think about from time to time, but they absolutely in no way give us an advantage or pass for the current season,” Wilson added. “Everybody starts at 0-0 for this season, and everyone has the same goals as we have, which is to win the 13th Region Tournament and represent our region at the state level.
“We have a huge group of kids who are returning and all are looking to impact the season this year,” he continued. “Bailey Stewart returns as a junior who brings a ton of experience to the table. She is a very heady player and her basketball IQ is very good. She knows what everyone’s job on the floor is and has taken a step into a leadership role that will prove to be very valuable for us as this season progresses. Her defense has always been something that she has brought to us, and I look for her to have a solid year on the offensive side of things as well. The player that many people have forgotten about is the addition of Kylie Clem to our program. Her length, athleticism, and motor are unmatched, and she will make an immediate impact on the floor for us this season. I believe that she will quickly remind everyone around the region that she is one of the top players of this region hands down and arguably the best defender in the region as well. “Raegan Walker is another player who might not get all the accolades and newspaper coverage that she deserves, but she is one of our most important keys to our team,” Wilson added. “Her toughness and willingness to do a lot of the little things that go unnoticed in the book like rebounding, diving for loose balls and physical play bring a sort of toughness to our team that is contagious to all of our kids. Also, Raegan happened to hit a pretty important layup late in the 13th Regional title game last year and I look for her to build upon that from last season. Another player looking to make an impact this season is Mahayla Jordan. She brings a lot of energy, especially to the defensive side of the basketball. She has always bought into doing the little things such as rebounding, and she has the chance to lead us in rebounding during games with her style of play. We also have added Haylee Mills, who transferred to us over the summer from Bell County. Her experience at the Varsity level will bode well for her, as she will be adjusting to a new school and a new team. Excited to see her grow within the program and to see her impact over the next two years. We also have Sida Hill, Addy Wilson, Izzy Walker and Michaela Williams who are looking to earn minutes and experience for this coming year, and I am pleased with their progression through the program so far. It is an exciting time to be a Lady Redhound, and we all are ready to get started here very, very soon.”
And when it comes down to possessing two of the best players in the region, go no further than Corbin with Kallie Housley, and Darcie Anderson.
“Kallie is the type of player that every coach wants on their basketball team and that every team needs on their basketball team to be successful,” Wilson said. “Kallie has one desire when it comes to stepping out on the floor, and that desire is to win. Anyone who has watched her play can see the desire come through her in literally every single possession she plays. She is all about the team and always willing to do whatever it takes to simply win the basketball game.
“Her leadership ability since joining the team has absolutely gone through the roof and I honestly feel she is ready to have her best season yet when it comes to basketball,” he added. “She makes us go and will be a very important piece to our team if we are to repeat as 13th Region champions. Her confidence in her teammates and herself was shown to everyone around the region last February when she mentioned on the 13th Region Media Network show that we would win the 13th Region Tournament. That single moment explains Kallie to a T and how she helps raise everyone’s game and confidence that is around her daily. There is a college out there somewhere that will be extremely lucky to have Kallie Housley on their team one day, and I am very fortunate to be her coach currently.
“Darcie is the straw that stirs the drink for our basketball team,” Wilson continued. “She is the most unselfish player that I have ever coached and a kid who would prefer to have 10 nice passes that lead to a score instead of scoring 10 baskets herself. That becomes contagious with others on our team the more she has been around everyone on our team. It encourages people to share the basketball and actually makes them look for others because of how “Darcie leads by example being a great role model of making the right plays for the team to be successful,” Wilson added. “Her defense last year in the 13th Region Tournament was probably the best individual performance of any kid during that tournament. She was given the toughest assignments the whole tournament, two of those assignments being Hailee Valentine and Clara Collins, and she absolutely made things tough and hard to come by for both of those kids during tournament play. I see a big year ahead for Darcie and I expect others to see her impact on the offensive side more as she is quite the scorer herself. Somebody at the college level will get a tremendous kid and competitor one day in Darcie, we are blessed to have her in our program.”
So who does Wilson believe will be the top challenges in the 50th District and 13th Region.
“The 50th District year in and year out is the most competitive and toughest District in the entire 13th Region,” he said. “This year will be no exception to that. South Laurel, though they have lost a few key players from last year’s team, they still return a solid group of kids. I expect Emily Cox to be the undeniable leader of that basketball team, and her experience from past years will help some of the young talent they have around her. Skeeter Mabe along with Shelbie Mills are both talented eighth graders, who I expect to take a step forward this year and be key pieces to their success as well. Coach (Chris) Souder does a good job at South Laurel, and they will continue to get better as the year moves forward.
“Whitley County returns a solid group of kids as well, and I expect Marissa Douglas to be the leader of that team, and she should be the kid who helps Whitley County go,” he added. “They play many kids and can really throw a lot of different looks at you which is something that can be hard to get used to. They will compete for a 50th District crown as well, and Coach (Sean) Pigman will have them looking to make some noise when tournament play begins.
“Some other teams within the 13th Region to keep an eye on would be North Laurel, Jackson County, Bell County, Harlan County, Knox Central, Pineville and Harlan Independent,” he added. “All of these teams have a good core group of players who return and should be in the conversation when it comes to competing for a 13th Region title. All of them are well-coached and have the talent that is needed to compete with anyone in our region. Of those teams, I would think that North Laurel is the team that brings the most experience to the table, and they are a team that everyone will need to be on the lookout for. Coach Eddie Mahan has built one heck of a program, and I know that they are hungry to be back on top in the 13th Region. It will be fun to see how things play out this season, to say the least.”
