Each week Patch will highlight the efforts of North Reading athletes in a new weekly feature. We start with Morgan Maiola, a junior on the girls basketball team.

The North Reading girls basketball team is on the brink of clinching a postseason berth. And Morgan Maiola has plenty to do with that.

Maiola, a junior, leads the Hornets in scoring, rebounding, and according to head coach Hank DeSantis is also the vocal leader of the team.

“She’s very communicative, is a good leader, takes other kids under her wing and has a good understanding of the game,” said DeSantis. “She wants to play in college and is very driven. She is committed to being a good student-athlete.”

DeSantis’ charges are 9-9 overall, just one away from the 10-win threshold that automatically brings a postseason berth with it. The Lady Hornets earned their ninth win of the season with a 49-19 blowout decision on Thursday night versus Triton.

North Reading continues in a transition phase, hoping to grow as a team in the upcoming years and become a perennial threat in the postseason. The team currently only includes three juniors and two seniors, with the remainder of the roster made up of underclassmen.

"For the team, I think the key to our success is we have great chemistry on and off the court, so that’s played a key role for how we’ve meshed as a team," said Maiola. "For me, I just keep trying to work hard every day at practice because no win is guaranteed."

Maiola plays for DeSantis in AAU in addition to suiting up for him with the Hornets, so he’s had the chance to watch her grow as a player over the last few seasons.

“Her improvement has been immeasurable,” said DeSantis of Maiola, who was all-league last year as a sophomore. “She’s improved in every aspect of her game.”

Editor's Note: This story was updated at 2:30 p.m. on Friday with a quote from Morgan Maiola.