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Northside standout basketball player Mariah Jones is following the same path her coach took after high school. Jones will be in good shape two years from now if the results are the same.

Jones committed to play at Louisburg Junior College in Louisburg N.C. next year after scoring over 1,400 points in her four years with the Panthers.
Coach Michelle Leathers also had a standout career at Northside, then led Louisburg to the 1992 junior college national championship before finishing her career with an NCAA tournament appearance with the Kansas Jayhawks.

“it will be great if I can do what she did, because she’s been a great help to me these past four years,” Jones said. “It was a lot of fun playing for her and I’ve learned a lot. Louisburg is the best fit for me because I can work hard for two years, then hopefully keep going in Division I. I enjoyed meeting the players on my visit and I think I can contribute next year.”

The Hurricanes are 24-4 going into their regional tournament and are usually in the mix for a post-season bid.

“Coach Leathers let me know about Mariah about a year and a half ago in an email,” Hurricanes assistant coach Courtney Brewer said. “I watched her hit three-pointers, drive to the basket and play with great effort. It was obvious that she will be a great teammate and we are looking forward to having her next year.”

Jones plans on majoring in Elementary Education with the goal of becoming a Kindergarten teacher.

“She can shoot and can take her opponent off the dribble,” Leathers said. “She’ll bring scoring and leadership along with her great personality. She’s a people person and I think it’s a great fit for her.”