UTSA forward Jordyn Jenkins is playing at a high level, averaging 23.5 points and 9.5 rebounds through four games. – File photo by Joe Alexander
Update: UTSA redshirt senior Jordyn Jenkins was named Monday as one of five athletes to receive recognition as an Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week, an award sponsored by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay
Jordyn Jenkins enjoyed a strong two-game road trip even by Jordyn Jenkins standards, and as UTSA’s prodigal power forward rolled along last week in victories over the New Mexico State Aggies and the UTEP Miners, the Roadrunners’ offense as a whole kept on humming, as well.
Granted, it’s early, only four games into the regular season. But the fourth edition of Karen Aston’s program looks pretty good right now and might get even better if they can clean up a few problem areas.
As the Roadrunners prepare to host the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders Wednesday night, Jenkins is playing the way she did a few years ago when she was Conference USA Player of the Year.
In fact, the 6-0 forward from Washington might be ascending into a new realm as she’s now tied for 11th in the nation in scoring at 23.5 points per game and also averaging 9.5 rebounds. You want efficiency? Jenkins is shooting 57.4 percent from the field. Consistency? How about three double doubles in four games.
“One of the most impressive things about the way she’s playing right now is her composure,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “That’s kind of easier to say than do sometimes when you’re the focal point of someone’s defense and you’re getting a lot of physicality played toward you, sometimes with double teams.
“I think it’s hard to keep your composure sometimes. I think where she’s growing and has grown since she started her career here, is to be able to handle adversity and handle situations where they (try to) — for lack of a better word — maybe get in her head, frustrate her.”
At New Mexico State, Jenkins produced 27 points and 11 rebounds. At UTEP, she took only one shot and scored two points in the first half, and then exploded to finish with 30 points and 12 boards. In the two games combined, she was 19 of 27 from the field and 18 of 20 from the free throw line.
“I thought she kind of took what the game gave her in both of them,” Aston said. “You know, she’s playing at a really high level. As you said, I’ve coached some pretty good ones. But she’s just so efficient with the ball in her hands. I think what’s been better about her is playing out of doubles a little bit better and take some of the physicality and figure out how to embrace it and (let) it make you a better player (rather) than get in your head.
“She’s made significant progress in that area and, yeah, she’s playing at an extremely high level right now.”
So is the UTSA offense as a whole. Last season, for instance, the Roadrunners had a good season and finished 18-15 but sometimes lacked the versatility and finesse on offense that it takes to win close games. UTSA shot 39.7 percent from the field, 29.2 percent from three and 65.2 percent at the free throw line. This year, through a loss at Texas A&M, a home win against UT Rio Grande Valley and two road wins last week, their percentages have soared.
UTSA is hitting 46 percent from the field, 38.1 percent from three and 76.3 percent at the line. As a result, scoring is also up, 64.5 to 69.5 points per game. It seems that just about everyone up and down the roster has shot the ball better. With purpose, and with confidence.
Aston traces some of it to point guard play.
“I think we’ve had a lot of players put in a significant amount of time to get their percentages up and feel more confident shooting the three and shooting in general,” the coach said. “But I also think it’s point guard play. I definitely think you’ve seen an evolution of Sidney (Love). I mean, we’ve all watched it, right in front of us.
“Starting as a freshman, and being a junior right now, and having so much confidence in herself and what her abilities are, but also in the system. I think she understands what we’re looking for and the time and place to do things. That’s a growth step for a young player.”
The coach also pointed to the addition of Nina De Leon Negron as another factor.
“It has given us two really solid choices” at the point, Aston said, “and I think Nina will keep getting better because she’s new to the system. But I think just having leaders at that position and knowing, kind of, timing of when to get the ball and where to (go with) it.
“I still think we’re turning it over too much, and we’ve talked about that. We turn it over a little bit less and our point totals would go up a little bit. But I’m definitely pleased, and I think it’s a reflection of spending time in the gym.”
Coming up
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at UTSA, 6:30 p.m.
Notable
Jenkins is the first UTSA women’s basketball player to be named on one of the weekly Ann Meyers Drysdale lists since the award’s inception in 2009. Other honorees who joined Jenkins this week included Connecticut’s Paige Bueckers, Miami’s Haley Cavinder, Harvard’s Harmoni Turner and Tennessee’s Talaysia Cooper. Jenkins was also named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week.