ROGERS — Jenna Gregory’s statistics don’t jump off the page.
But when Rogers girls basketball coach Preston Early calls Gregory’s number, he expects instant results.
And more times than not, she delivers at both ends of the fl oor.
On a team short on depth, Gregory is usually the fi rst Lady Mounties player off the bench.
Gregory is averaging just two points and three rebounds a game, but those numbers do not add up to the value her play brings to the team, Early said, as Rogers (18-7, 6-6 7A-West) goes to Springdale Har-Ber tonight in a key league contest.
“Jenna knows she has to be ready to make plays, there is not time to get acclimated,” Early said. “She has to go in there and start banging on somebody. Her first instinct is to play hard and she immediately goes in and makes something happen.”
Tuesday was a case in point in the Lady Mounties 68-50 win against Fort Smith Southside. Gregory played just seven minutes, but the senior made her only fi eld goal attempt, grabbed two rebounds and had an assist and steal as Rogers held off the Lady Rebels to win for the third-straight time.
“For Jenna, it’s not hard to come off the bench because her first instinct is to go in and try to touch the basketball,” Early said. “Jenna has inspired other kids and we have a core group of tough players. Jenna has inspired that.”
Gregory spends the early part of games studying the opposing team’s players as she said she never knows what her assignment may be on any given night.
“I just think about how I am going to guard the girl if somebody gets into foul trouble,” Gregory said. “I just watch what the (opposing) girls are doing out there and what will be needed to guard that player. There is a little bit of pressure but if you put some energy into it, it will just come to you.”
Early said Gregory has made tremendous progress since her sophomore season.
“Jenna is a kid that has poured her heart and soul into our program,”Early said. “Her gifts are diff erent. Her gifts are intensity and courage and she really understands what we are doing. Jenna has found a way to bring her strengths to the table.”
While her playing time is limited, Gregory said she gets plenty ofseasoning in practice while guarding sophomore Taylor Strickland, who is averaging 16 points an outing in 7A-West Conference games.
Early said Gregory has made Strickland a better player because of her practice habits.
Sports, Pages 9 on 02/24/2011