Steinert’s Bing relishing run with Rhode Island College
After surviving the pain and the rehabilitation of a torn ACL, Jayda Bing is experiencing what every college basketball player dreams of.
She’s headed to the Division III Final Four. Now a sophomore at Rhode Island College, Bing began her collegiate career at FDU-Florham with an all-conference freshman season, but the pandemic denied a full sophomore season and then the knee injury left her future in doubt.
When she was ready to resume her career, a friend suggested Rhode Island College and her future went from doubt to destiny.
“It’s unbelievable,” Bing said. “I really don’t have the words for it. When I was at FDU we weren’t winning and we never went to the playoffs. So, being this far and still playing in March is so surreal.”
This is Rhode Island College’s first ever Final Four appearance.
The Anchorwomen (28-3) meet No. 1 Christopher Newport (30-0) in one national semifinal in Hartford, Conn., at 5 p.m. on Saturday, while the other semifinal pits No. 2 Transylvania (31-0) against No. 4 Smith (30-1).
Those lofty numbers don’t scare Bing or her teammates as they have taken down No. 3 Scranton, No. 10 Chicago and No. 13 Babson
in this run to the Final Four.
An All-Trentonian player while at Steinert, Bing has made an instant impression once she arrived at RIC.
“Once I came here, I realized it was the best school for me socially, academically and athletically,” Bing said. “The transition went a lot smoother than I thought. When I visited I didn’t get a chance to meet any of the girls, but the first day I got here they were awesome.”
Usually, the first player off the bench Bing has put together an awesome first season and has been exceptionally remarkable since the postseason started.
Through Rhode Island College’s first 22 games, the former Spartan player had scored 60 points, but since the playoffs started, Bing’s minutes and statistics have increased.
“I like the role of coming off the bench it gives me a chance to watch the game unfold in front of me first,” Bing said. “I like being able to bring new energy because off the bench people don’t really know who I am.” They are learning quickly, though. She came off the bench to get the rally started against Chicago with a pair of 3s and in the six games of the playoffs she has been averaging over seven points and 2.5 rebounds.
“I didn’t start to see myself as the player I want to be until the Little East playoffs,” Bing said. “I was playing well in the beginning and then I hit a rough patch in the middle of the
year, my knee just wasn’t working with me and then once playoffs started I was finding myself again.”
She credits her coaches and teammates at Steinert for playing a large role in her ability to be able to play in college.
“Playing with Natalie Mehl, Leila Collazo and Tatiana Dorner because they went on to play D3 and being with them made it easy to adapt,” Bing said. “Having coach (Kristin) Jacobs was amazing, too. She helped prepare me for this level.”
Bing’s level just keeps rising, and it’s because of her never-quit attitude.