'He's always on my mind.' New Prairie's Jayden Flagg dedicating season to late brother

NEW CARLISLE — Jayden Flagg thinks about her brother every day.

The two were almost inseparable. They played pickleball together. Wiffle Ball games in the summer. Basketball in the barn whenever possible.

That’s what’s made the past nine months so difficult for Jayden, her family and the New Prairie community.

Braydon Flagg died in a single-car crash May 25, 2023, at the age of 20. It happened on C.R. 50 in LaPorte County, minutes from the Flagg house in Mill Creek.

Jayden has used her brother’s death as motivation. She helped the New Prairie girls basketball team win its first sectional title since 2000 last week.

On Saturday the Cougars battle for their first-ever regional championship against NorthWood. Tipoff at Jimtown High School is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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“He’s been a big inspiration; he’s always on my mind,” Jayden said. “I know he’s always with me, and I have no doubt in my mind that he’s cheering for me up there. He’s always on my mind, always there. I’ll never forget him.”

'Play for Bray'

The New Prairie team has rallied around Jayden all season.

The team' wear's warmup shirts say “Play for Bray.” The date Braydon died in printed on her right shoe near an attached locket with some of his ashes in it. Whenever Jayden is having a rough day, her teammates are there to pick her up.

“They’re my support; they’re my rock,” Jayden said. “A lot of them are my best friends, and I know I can go to them for support. Just knowing they know my situation and that they’re there for me when I need them is really important.”

The bond between Jayden and her teammates has been noticed by Cougars head coach Aimee Litka.

“I think the concept of them being a family is huge because I’m not sure anyone can comprehend or understand the emotions that are felt and the unpredictability of when those emotions are going to come,” Litka said. “… Their ability to come together, wrap their arms around her and kind of help push her through some of those moments I think is great to see.”

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The healing process has evolved for Jayden as the year has progressed.

“She always calls herself an ‘independent woman,’ and she uses some of that strong-willed character to push her through, mentally and physically,” said Jayden’s mother, Brandee. “She’s finally gotten to the point where she can truly verbalize to us how she feels inside. At first, she didn’t want to talk about things. She’s really starting to open up, understanding the process of all of this and using it as a motivator to make him proud.”

An easy college choice

Braydon was a men’s basketball player for Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill., a mere two hours southwest of Mills Creek. His infectious personality made him a favorite on the team and in the whole school.

The way Olivet treated Braydon as a student-athlete stuck out to the Flagg family. When Jayden was going through her college recruiting process, Olivet became a clear choice for her.

Jayden signed her letter of intent to join the Tigers’ women’s basketball program in December.

“It’s got a unique culture to it: high values, high character,” Jayden’s father, Jason said of Olivet. “Even Braydon said sometimes, ‘I’m not sure if there’s anyone not nice here.’”

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Olivet's kindness extended beyond Braydon’s death. Braydon used to text Jayden pregame motivational messages. Now, Braydon’s former college roommate, Caleb Swearingen, has taken on that responsibility.

Brayden’s girlfriend at Olivet, Khendal Rolison, has also become close friends with Jayden. She and a few others from the school drove to New Prairie last week to see Jayden and the Cougars win the sectional championship.

A chance at history

Jayden has individual and team history at stake Saturday against NorthWood.

She is four points from breaking the career program scoring record set by 1994 graduate Suzanne Smith. Jayden has 915 career points despite missing nearly all of her freshman year to a torn ACL in her right knee, the same injury suffered as an eighth grader.

Jayden is more worried about winning the program’s first regional title.

“I want the best for my team, and I want to see where this team can go,” she said. “If that means getting the ball to the open people and not taking shots when I’m not open, that’s fine with me because I want to find the best way we can win as a team.”

More: Here are your South Bend area girls basketball regional pairings, schedule

The Cougars have set a single-season program record for wins with 20. A 21st victory would be the sweetest of them all.

“It’ll bring our community in New Carlisle together because it’s such a big accomplishment that no one thought would happen,” Jayden said of a potential regional championship. “I’m glad we can show people that we are New Prairie and we don’t want to be looked down upon. We just want to show people we’re better than what they think we are.”

South Bend area girls basketball regional pairings

Here is where those teams will be playing and at what time. All times EST.

CLASS 4A

At LaPorte

5 p.m.: South Bend Washington (19-4) vs. Lake Central (23-4)

8 p.m.: Northridge (24-3) vs. Valparaiso (19-7)

CLASS 3A

At Jimtown

4 p.m.: Bremen (14-11) vs. Hanover Central (17-7)

7 p.m.: New Prairie (20-5) vs. NorthWood (19-6)

CLASS 2A

At Winamac

4 p.m.: LaVille (12-11) vs. Andrean (12-14)

CLASS 1A

At Winamac

8 p.m.: Marquette Catholic (21-4) vs. Morgan Township (17-7)

At Caston

7 p.m.: Bethany Christian (18-6) vs. Caston (21-3)

Other northern Indiana girls basketball regional assignments:

▶ At Marion, Class 4A: McCutcheon vs. Homestead, 1 p.m.; Noblesville vs. Fort Wayne Snider, 4 p.m.

▶ At Bellmont: Northfield vs. Clinton Central, 1 p.m. (Class 1A); Lewis Cass vs. Fremont, 4 p.m. (Class 2A)

▶ At Lapel: Hamilton Heights vs. Woodlan, 1 p.m. (Class 3A); Lapel vs. Eastbrook, 4 p.m. (Class 2A)

▶ At Wes-Del: Daleville vs. Union City, 1 p.m. (Class 1A); Lafayette Central Catholic vs. Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, 4 p.m. (Class 2A)

▶ At Caston: Benton Central vs. Norwell, 4 p.m. (Class 3A)

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: New Prairie's Jayden Flagg dedicating season to late brother