Mavericks Basketball 2020-21

The North Country Mavericks welcome back 14 athletes this season, several of which saw plenty of playing time last season.

This season, the team will be led by a similar coaching staff, but the 2020-21 campaign will be led by Head Coach Taylor Olson, who has been the team's assistant coach for the past several seasons.

With Coach Olson are assistant coaches Nate Remmich, Josh McCrossin, and Whitney Molina.

"We have a lot of energized coaches who are familiar with the kids, so it should be helpful," Coach Olson said.

The team will be without Dustin Ostrom, Cordell Younkin, and Brady Albus, who each graduated last year.

With coaching changes, often comes a change in philosophy, and this year, Coach Olson hopes to use a faster style of basketball, using the gifts that come with an athletic group consisting of seniors Jesse Lee, Loden Idler, Jon Rey Taylor, Beau Simonson, who saw plenty of time in the starting line up over the past couple of seasons.

Idler was named to the 2020 3C All-Conference list in addition to making the Defensive team.

The team also welcomes back seniors Randy Gairrett and Jeremy Longtree.

"Randy brings length," Coach Olson said. "He is a very lengthy, crafty player, that can get to the basket for us or shoot a three-pointer. Jeremy is high intensity and one of our main defensive guys, who also is a good shooter from the arc."

In utilizing the pressure defense, Coach Olson hopes to use his team's athleticism to their advantage.

Though the team has plenty of experience on the court, they have not set goals for themselves yet, given the changes.

"We kind of wanted to get through the first game and come back and reevaluate things," Coach Olson said. "We decided as a team that we want to settle in, and start seeing the offense and then set their goals from there."

The Mavericks fared well in their opening game last Saturday. North Country survived a second-half comeback attempt by Plentywood, defeating the Wildcats 45-43 in Plentywood.

The Mavericks were led by Idler who had 19 points. Lee had eight points, Johnson had seven points, Simonson had six points, and Taylor added five.

The Mavericks will head to Glasgow on Thursday, January 8, for their next game. North Country will then host Scobey-Opheim for their home opener in Hinsdale. Both games are scheduled for 6 p.m.