N.C. Lady Mavericks Basketball 2015

The Lady Panthers were the first co-op between Saco, Whitewater and Hinsdale last basketball season. The group has an entirely new look in terms of personnel and mascot. The team who had the confusing name for Saco-Whitewater-Hinsdale or SWH or whatever order one would put the schools in is now simply known as the North Country Lady Mavericks.

The team boasts plenty of new talent, with many players already familiar with Head Coach Amber Erickson’s system, a system that has proven to be a winning formula as she has led the Panthers to a State C title in 2011 and brought the team to the State C Championship Game last season.

Ultimately hoping to build on the team’s success, the Lady Mavericks are going to do some growing this year to overcome losing last year’s senior class to graduation.

The team has only retained one starter, the team’s vocal and productive leader, senior captain point guard Tatum Moore.

“I think Tatum’s really grown a lot, especially mentally,” Coach Amber Erickson told the PCN. “Every year I’ve seen a lot of growth in her and I think she’s very ready to take on that challenge of being a great senior leader, the only senior on our team with a lot of experience.”

Moore had 22 points in the Lady Mavs’ win against Terry last Friday in Glasgow.

“She’s got to be my floor general out on the floor with this younger team and take them under her wing, keep things under control and keep people focused and into the game.”

Junior wing Kayleigh Cummings is the second team captain this season.

“I picked Tatum and Kayleigh because they’ve been in my program the longest out of any of the other players,” Coach Erickson said noting that Cummings has played under Erickson’s system since eighth grade.

Cummings serves as a quiet leader for the team, but her effort on and off the court is anything but that.

“She works very hard,” Coach Erickson said. “She’s not flashy or anything like that but she’s smart and she knows what needs to be done.”

Also starting for the Mavericks is sophomore combo player Jada Sudbrack, who is in her third year with the team. Sudbrack scored 20 points in the team’s win against Terry.

“Jada has always had the ability to score and she is a very athletic five-eleven player,” Coach Erickson said. “What’s nice about Jada is her versatility. We’re getting her where she’s comfortable with her back to the basket so she can play inside when we need her to but she can also step out and play outside.”

Known as the twin towers, Sudbrack and Mickayla Johnson were a force in volleyball last year, a force that can be a strong duo in Coach Erickson’s 3-2 offense.

“Mickayla is still developing and working her way into being a dominant player,” Coach Erickson said.

Sophomore Bailey Funk played well off of the bench as the team’s backup guard last season. Funk has started both games for the Mavericks so far.

“She is very quick,” Coach Erickson said. “She’s very athletic and still doesn’t realize what she can do if she puts her mind to it. She’s got a great shot; she’s worked on it in the off-season.”

Casity Boucher is the team’s sixth man who has earned high praise from her coach.

“She’s not my sixth man because she’s not good enough to start, she’s my sixth man because of what she does when she sets foot on the floor,” Coach Erickson said. “She can one-go in for any one of my players and we can shift and adjust. Second- When she gets in there she works so hard. She has one speed and it’s all-out.”

Junior Payton Chopper didn’t play basketball last season, but she has already impressed Coach Erickson.

“She’s been working hard in practice,” Coach Erickson said. “She regrets not being there last year and I really think that as the season progresses and she gets into the flow that she’s going to be able to help us.”

Coach Erickson also mentioned that Chopper is a great shooter, with a very nice outside shot.