Ross found her voice at Summer Creek
Jorynn Ross is coming into her own as a leader for Summer Creek.
A year ago, she was a shy junior just trying to fit in with the Lady Bulldogs. Now, she is the captain.
“I think what has changed about me is being vocal,” said Ross, a 6-3 post player who has committed to Pepperdine. “(Kaitlyn) Duhon was a very vocal person, where I was just trying to play my role and just do my job. She taught me that if I want to be heard, I’m going to have to talk to be that leader, and that’s what I have done.”
Summer Creek started the Region III-6A playoffs with a convincing 70-14 win over Channelview in the bi-district round on Monday. The Lady Bulldogs will play Alief Hastings in the area round at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Delmar Fieldhouse.
As a freshman and sophomore, Ross played at the The John Cooper School in The Woodlands. The switch to public school required an adjustment, but her confidence grew throughout her junior season, and she was named the District 21-6A Newcomer of the Year.
“I didn’t play strong at all coming from private school,” Ross said. “I was very weak, but you have to come in here and be strong and don’t doubt yourself at all. I got a lot better as the season went on last year, and now my confidence is high, and I don’t secondguess myself.”
Ross has always been able to get rebounds and put up easy shots under the basket. As a senior, she has developed a mid-range jumper and is more aggressive in the offensive paint.
Defensively, she has put an emphasis on shotblocking. And when she grabs a defensive rebound, she’s cognizant of looking downcourt to start a fast break.
“You just have to remember that you come in as your own person, and last year I was that role player,” said Ross, who this season is averaging 9.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game for the Lady Bulldogs. “If you want to show your team what you’re all about, you have to talk and show on the court why you’re the best and why you earned your spot. You have to show your best all the time. We go at each other a lot of practice, and that only makes us better.”
Coach Carlesa Dixon feels she can go to Ross whenever Summer Creek needs a basket or a big defensive play.
“She’s not shy anymore, for sure,” Dixon said. “She really stepped into that leadership role that Duhon kind of left us with vocally, and she’s demanding and having a presence on the floor. She’s definitely coming into her own, and she still has things that she can improve on. As a coach, you always want that vocal leader to talk to the team before you have to.”
Ross sometimes feels as if she’s looking at a mirror with 6-foot-2 junior forward Zachara Perkins around. Perkins, who holds offers from Rutgers, North Texas, Tulsa, SFA, and Syracuse, spent the last two years at St. Pius before making the move to Summer Creek.
Ross is making sure Perkins doesn’t feel alone as Summer Creek looks to make another run to the state tournament with a chance to compete for a Class 6A state title.
“I told her you just have to learn to be tough,” Ross said. “No one is going to tell you how to be tough; you just have to do it. She has been doing great here with us, and you can tell she has improved. And we’re right behind her all the time supporting her.”