Sophomore Guard Leading Lady Sharks Offense
Scoring is natural to Jaya Nelson.
At Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson, Arizona, the combo guard tallied 1,222 career points.
This season at Miami Dade College, the sophomore has scored in double figures in every game and she is leading the Lady Sharks with a 16.5 scoring average. That includes a season-high 23 points versus John A. Logan College on Nov. 13.
“Jaya is passionate about being a good teammate and loves playing the game,” said Lady Sharks Head Basketball Coach Susan Summons. “[She] has accepted the role of helping to lead this team.”
Basketball has always been a family business for the five-foot-five inch guard.
Nelson learned the game from her dad—Jimmie Nelson—who is the director of the Arizona Dynasty, a basketball program in southern Arizona. He previously served as the head coach at Palo Verde High Magnet School in Tucson.
Her older brother, Evan Nelson, is a six-foot-two inch guard at Harvard, averaging 6.7 points and 3.8 assists per game for the Crimson this season.
Jaya used her knowledge of the game to excel in high school. Nelson averaged 13.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in four seasons at Salpointe Catholic High School, leading her team to the state tournament her last three years.
As a senior, she averaged 14.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game and was named Regional Player of the Year, earning First Team All-Conference honors.
Last year, she averaged 5.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game at Alderson Broaddus University, a Division II school in West Virginia.
Nelson’s first season at MDC has been a tough one. The team has lost 11 of their first twelve games including a 52-point loss to Eastern Florida State College on Nov. 19.
But that has not prevented Nelson from staying focused. Whether it’s playing defense, providing leadership or encouraging a teammate, she has found a way to keep her team motivated.
The 19-year-old spends more than 25 hours a week between practice, the weight room, games and study hall to sharpen her skills.
“She’s a good teammate, a good player and she can shoot very well,” said Kennaria Nash-James, a freshman point guard from Chicago. “She pushes everyone. She brings good energy to the court and loves to compete.”
The Lady Sharks start their conference schedule on Jan. 7 versus Hillsborough Community College. Nelson is confident that she can continue to elevate her game and her teammates.
“I can become a better player [by] continuing to figure out who I am and perfecting my craft,” Nelson said.
The Lady Sharks next game is on Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m. versus Eastern Florida State College at the Melbourne campus, 1519 Clearlake Rd., in Cocoa.
Click here to subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, The Hammerhead. For news tips, contact us at mdc.thereporter@gmail.com
