She’s greater than doubled her rating common, she’s attacking the rim at an alarming fee, she’s obtained probably the greatest 3-point percentages within the Big 12 Conference, and she or he’s main the league in steals — simply what stays for the Kansas State Sophomore Guard Jaelyn Glenn to enhance because the Kansas City, Missouri native continues to choose up for the No. 24 Wildcats this season?
“Rebounding,” she says. “We should be a very good rebounding crew and that is undoubtedly one thing I have to get higher at. Rebounding is my largest battle.”
For the report, the 6-foot-1 Glenn takes tenth placeth within the Big 12 in factors (14.4), eighth in 3-point proportion (.409), ninth in 3-point proportion (2.3), twentiethth in rebounds (4.9) and first in steals (2.6). She has hit double digits in eight of 10 video games, together with a career-best 23-point efficiency (a career-best 4 of 8 on 3-point makes an attempt) in opposition to Northern Arizona, and has caught eight rebounds in three completely different video games.
Glenn strikes with out the ball, producing pictures, chopping into the lane and slamming from the surface. All-Big 12 level guard sophomore throughout preseason Serena Sundell Continuing to stage her general dominance that propelled her into one of the crucial harmful newcomers within the nation a 12 months in the past, Glenn’s rise to a extra vital contributor can also be an enormous purpose why Ok-State is 9-1 whereas it is up South Dakota ready for state on Saturday on the T-Mobile Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.
“Jaelyn has pushed for us in more ways than we’ve been asked of her this year,” stated Sundell, who has performed with Jaelyn and competitively Brylee Glenn for greater than a decade. “The progress she has constituted of final 12 months to this 12 months has been great. I believe everybody can see that she’s a risk to attain in three ranges – out of the three, she’s driving, and she or he has a mid-range soar shot.
“Her growth we’ve seen this year and the confidence she plays with is kind of contagious for the team. I’m just really proud of how she’s started this season.”
Such a sentiment is shared by the pinnacle coach of Ok-State Jeff Mittiewho started recruiting Jaelyn and Brylee once they have been in eighth grade.
This season, Jaelyn has seemingly taken off.
“She was just more aggressive shooting the 3,” says Mittie. “In the previous few weeks we have seen higher aggressiveness on the fringes. She’s been going to the free throw line extra instances than ever, which needs to be a part of her sport.
“All in all, she has improved in all areas.”
Where does it come from? Trust.
“My confidence is a lot better,” says Glenn. “I actually had someone come up to me after a game and say I didn’t look as shy as I did last year. I feel a lot more confident in my game and in expanding my options.”
It’s not as a result of she was compelled to develop her sport, it is due to All-American’s absence Ayoka Lee Due to knee surgical procedure this season, everybody on the Wildcats’ new offense needed to be strengthened. Mittie walked out and secured arguably the very best recruiting class of his 9 seasons at Ok-State and the senior switch additions Gaby Gregory (She leads the Big 12 with 20.2 factors per sport) and graduate switch Sarah Schematsi (5.7 factors) was price it.
But Glenn knew she needed to take her sport to a different degree as nicely.
“I definitely knew I had to be more aggressive and definitely expand my game to help our team because Yokie wasn’t going to play,” she says. “But we’ve also had Gabby and Sarah and a lot of new transfers and newcomers who have come in and been a big help as well.”
That week, Glenn was considered one of solely 4 Power 5 gamers to common not less than 15 factors, 5 rebounds, two assists and two steals per contest. She felt robust scoring performances in opposition to Clemson (16 factors), Northern Arizona (23), and Arkansas (14) through the three-game Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
In her subsequent sport, Glenn had 18 factors, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks in a 73-59 win over Houston at Bramlage Coliseum. Her efficiency included profession highlights on free throws (eight) and makes an attempt (12).
“I definitely felt like something had changed and when I came back from the Virgin Islands my game was different,” she says.
The largest factor Mittie observed about Glenn this season? Added maturity.
“One of the things that players go through is the ability not to have a good first or second quarter, but maturity teaches you that you can change that as the game progresses,” says Mittie. “When you are younger you do not often go to the subsequent play both and it is arduous to get out of it. Coming from quarters the place she hasn’t performed very nicely, she’s made the required corrections, so you have to’ see a maturity in her sport and a degree of confidence. She’s labored arduous to attain that.
“I believed she had a very good summer time and did some actually good issues within the 3v3 match in opposition to actually good competitors. We have a fairly good group and Jaelyn has had that have to attract on and that has given her a bonus and a number of confidence.”
And she reveals her confidence whereas enjoying completely different positions on the ground.
“I’m attacking the basket and I didn’t get to the basket a lot last year, that was my biggest improvement this year, and Coach Mittie lets me play a little bit of point guard and I didn’t do that a lot last year,” says Glenn. “I play the 2, three or 4 relying on who’s within the sport. I really feel excellent about my versatility. It provides me a bonus and was undoubtedly useful as a result of if you happen to put a 4 on me I can assault the basket and take you off dribbling. If you give me a little bit watch I’ve been engaged on my postlude so now I can publish the very best I can.
“That kind of versatility gives me a huge advantage.”
She has come a great distance since she and Brylee helped make Barstow School a hit. Jaelyn averaged 15 factors, seven rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and practically two blocks en path to the 2021 McDonald’s All-American Game nomination. She was 54th Ranked Players by ESPNW Hoopgurlz.
Last season, she averaged 6.6 factors, 3.9 rebounds and a pair of.1 assists whereas averaging 30.7 minutes per sport and beginning in 32 competitions. Glenn had 13 factors, 4 rebounds, eight assists and 5 steals in opposition to Abilene Christian final season, turning into the primary Ok-State freshman in 20 years to have not less than 10 factors, eight assists and 5 steals in the identical sport.
“I didn’t really believe in myself last year,” says Glenn. “I was better than I thought I was last year, so I’m just staying confident.”
And now time is ticking till she begins her second Big 12 season. After the duel with South Dakota State, Ok-State wraps up the non-conference season in opposition to Northern Colorado (December 18) and Morgan State (December 21) earlier than opening the Big 12 in Texas (December 31).
“I’m really excited,” says Glenn. “Obviously the Big 12 have a number of nice expertise and nice groups. I’m actually wanting ahead to being there. The means we performed, I’m excited to see how we do.”
So far, Glenn has proved with certainty that the “second break-in” is a fantasy.
“When people say they’re collapsing as a sophomore, like I told our group, it’s often a player who didn’t improve last year. They were seventh in the scouting report and now they’ve moved up to second or third place, so they need to work on their weaknesses. If you’re a player who just wants to improve on your strengths, then you’re going to have a slump by sophomore year. If you’re a player who wants to improve on your weaknesses and trust the coaches to help you improve, then you “You’re a participant who pushes your sport after which the ‘second break’ is a fantasy.”
