Mavericks Basketball 2019-20

The North Country Mavericks have retained all but one starter this season, and the group hopes to improve upon their 2018-19 outing which ended at the 3C District Tournament.

"Everybody is a little bigger, a little stronger," Coach Ralph Ellsworth told the PCN. "Those same teams are still there; Scobey, Lustre, and Dodson. We gotta beat one of them to get to the divisionals."

Coach Ellsworth shared his goal for this year's group. In fact, his goal is consistent every year.

"Here is my goal as a coach," Ellsworth said. "My goal is to win a trophy at every tournament I get into. That is my simple goal."

North Country was one game from achieving that goal at the district tournament.

North Country's only departure was John McColly, who graduated last spring. McColly was the team's captain last year and an All-Conference selection.

The Mavericks will be under their second season with Coach Ralph Ellsworth at the helm. The Mavericks welcome back a majority of their team members including junior Loden Idler, who was the Mav's primary ball-handler last season.

"He got through the football season, played well and didn't get hurt, so he is strong, going hard, and he will do a good job for us," Coach Ellsworth said.

The team welcomes back guard Jon Rey Taylor, who was a dual-threat last season on offense, showing the ability to score inside and outside of the arc.

At the three, the Mavericks will likely start sophomore Trey Johnson, who could not compete last season due to injury. Johnson has already left an impression with Coach Ellsworth.

"He is potentially a very good player, so him being back will be one thing different from last year," Coach Ellsworth said.

Junior Jesse Lee returns as a starting forward for the team, after an impressive sophomore season.

"He has got all kinds of abilities," Coach Ellsworth said.

At the post position, Beau Simonson is back and is in good health this season. Simonson has shown improvement during team practices so far this season.

"He has made some small improvements," Coach Ellsworth said. "He is a very good kid, hard-working, big and strong."

The team will continue to learn and work with Coach Ellsworth's ball control system, a system that slows the game down, but will help them find quality shots.

"You can't learn to win big games unless you are in control," Coach Ellsworth said. "You need to make them (opposing) earn everything. You have to force them to make big shots and you have to learn how to make big shots."

As far as defense, the team will play man most of the time.

North Country also welcomed back senior Ty Murphy, who has proven to be a good scorer and defender for the Mavs over the years.

Coach Ellsworth mentioned that the team has seven or eight athletes that could start, but he also mentioned that the team's chemistry has to be developed.