By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Whatever ultimately happens in UTSA’s quest for a championship season in women’s basketball, Jordyn Jenkins, Sidney Love and Nina De Leon Negron will fuel the charge. They are the headliners on a team that has shown NCAA tournament potential through their first 15 games.

But as the twice-beaten Roadrunners prepare to host the Wichita State Shockers Saturday at the Convocation Center, two freshmen have started to emerge as players who could become important components in the team’s effort to make history.

Guard Damara Allen and power forward Taylor Ross both delivered significant production Wednesday night in UTSA’s 67-58 victory over the Rice Owls.

With Love unavailable because of an illness, Allen started and produced seven points and four rebounds. Ross, from San Antonio Brennan High School, had six points and four boards in only six minutes. Both were in the game at the same time for a couple of minutes in the fourth quarter when the Roadrunners rallied to win.

Allen started the fourth period, and then Ross took the floor 15 seconds later when Idara Udo picked up her fourth foul. Just about that time, good things started to happen for UTSA. When De Leon Negron missed a driving layup, Ross muscled inside to grab the offensive rebound and scored.

After Rice scored on the other end, Allen responded, sneaking inside to take an inbounds pass from De Leon Negron and hitting an easy layup. Next offensive possession for the Roadrunners, Allen scored again, this time driving to the hoop on the right side, stopping and spinning back to her left for another layup – good for six straight points combined for the two first-year players.

Finally, as the Roadrunners were trying to seal the deal in the last minute of the game, Allen popped out behind a screen set by Udo, executed a step-back move behind the arc and did the honors, knocking down a three from the top of the circle.

UTSA coach Karen Aston liked what she saw from her two freshman.

“Taylor’s going to learn,” Aston said after the game. “I mean, this was a great learning experience for her. She had a couple of really huge plays and, you know, a couple of freshmen plays.

“But that’s about the only way you can get through to a freshman sometimes, it’s for them to experience it in a game. So, I think today will make Taylor so much better and more engaged. And then Damara came in, and, the thing I think I’ll go back and look at on film, that probably will please me the most, is that they knew what they were supposed to do.

“And that’s a big step. You can’t just run around out there. Like, there’s details to what you’re doing on the defensive end. I thought there were some moments when (the Owls) were running stuff that maybe could have suckered our young kids, and I could tell they knew where they were supposed to be. I mean, that’s a big step for us.”

While Ross has played sparingly to this point in only 10 games, Allen, from Aurora, Colo., has been on the floor quite a bit, appearing in 14 games and earning three starts. Allen, in fact, is one of the fastest-improving talents on the team. Averaging 13 minutes for the season, she is playing 17 per game in conference.

A wing player who can play both the small forward and shooting guard, she’s almost doubled her scoring average in AAC games to 5.8, and her shooting percentages have also risen. After suffering some shooting woes in November and early December, Allen is hitting 42.8 percent on field goals and 38.4 percent from three in conference.

“We’re all comfortable with her shooting shots and making them,” Jenkins said. “She just has to be comfortable (herself). As long as she’s comfortable, then, we’re deadly.”

Allen said she is enjoying herself, playing on a contending team and contributing.

“I feel like it’s extremely fun,” she said. “As a freshman, to experience the culture, it’s definitely exciting. Everybody is excited to be here. My teammates are super fun. And the coaching staff. I really love them, too. They make it fun.”

Allen admitted that the work-load can be a grind, but it all pays off on game nights, particularly with the exhilarating finish to the Rice game.

“I know we came out slow,” she said. “But, we just had our composure the whole game, and going on a run in the quarter, it was definitely exciting. You can, like, feel the energy in the Convo.”

Rice won the American Athletic Conference postseason title and played in the NCAA tournament last year, so, hitting the three-point shot to close out the Owls was a special feeling for Allen.

“I felt on top of the world,” she said. “I know it sealed the deal, but having my teammates celebrate, and everybody just being there, it was super fun.” A little chaotic, but fun. “Yeah, I was getting pushed around a little bit,” she said, smiling.

After growing up in Aurora, Colo., Allen moved to Texas last summer, which was a significant change for her in a lot of respects

“It’s been a lot,” she said. “I know the first time I came here, it seemed like it was super hot, because I’m from Colorado. But the change of pace and the grind that we put in here, is so much different than high school. In high school, it’s not as serious as it is here.”

Allen said she embraces the grind because she knows she is improving.

“I’m in the gym every day,” she said. “I have, like, two-a-days before practice and after practice. Getting in the film room is also part of the grind. Like, I love it.”

Allen and Ross aren’t the only freshman making contributions to the program. Coaches are also high on guard Mia Hammonds, from San Antonio-area Steele High School, and center Emilia Dannebauer from Germany, though those two haven’t played as much.

“Since we came here in the summer, we’ve all been pretty close,” Allen said. “Like, Taylor, Mia and Emilia, they’re my best friends. I feel like I can talk to them and tell them anything. Like, off the court, too. We hang out all the time.”

And now, at least for one big game recently, Allen and Ross celebrated their roles in a victory, which also may have served as a preview of even better days ahead — this season, and beyond. “I think it means a lot for us because we’re so young,” Allen said. “But we just want to help the team for the overall goal.”

UTSA women’s report

Records: Wichita State 7-10, 1-3; UTSA 13-2, 4-0

Coming up: Wichita State at UTSA, Saturday, noon. UTSA at Memphis, Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Notable

The UTSA men will play Wichita State at 3 p.m. Saturday. The Roadrunners (6-8, 0-2) and the Shockers (10-5, 0-2) are still looking for their first victory in AAC play.

UTSA women’s team guard Sidney Love practiced Friday and is expected to play after sitting out the Rice game. Forward Nyayongah Gony has been on crutches this week, so it’s doubtful that she will be available.

Wichita State has lost four of its last five. In conference, the Shockers lost at home to North Texas and on the road at Memphis. They won on the road at UAB and then got walloped 72-46 at home by South Florida Wednesday night. Forward Jayla Murray (12.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg) leads Wichita State.