Speed, size, skill - Cummings has it all
By CHRIS JUREWICZ
Kamloops Daily News Sports Reporter
Oct 30 2006
The nerves were evident when Jaclyn Cummings stepped up to the free throw line and missed both shots.
Her potential, and what the TRU WolfPack looks forward to seeing in years to come, was evident when Cummings stuffed 6-foot-3 forward Lindsay Robinson of the Fraser Valley Cascades on Saturday at TRU gym. And moments after the stuff, Cummings stepped up and nailed a three-pointer.
Cummings, a 6-foot-1 rookie out of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., is not your average forward. She plays big inside, as you would expect.
|
But her athleticism - her ability to run the floor, her ability to get to rebounds quicker than most players on the floor - makes her a special talent.
Cummings and the WolfPack opened their Canada West season Saturday and Sunday with two losses to Fraser Valley. The Cascades took Saturday's game 78-61 and followed up with a buzzer-beating 64-61 victory Sunday.
"I liked her size, liked her length and I just thought she is going to be a real good player down the road," says Ken Olynyk.
Olynyk, TRU's athletic director, coached the WolfPack last season. And he's responsible for recruiting Cummings. He was one of the coaches at the annual Guy Vetrie Memorial Camp in Sault Ste. Marie in 2005 when he spotted Cummings (Vetrie, a Soo native, was a former coach of the men's basketball team at the University of Victoria and he and Olynyk were good friends). Olynyk knew right away she would blossom into a top player in the CIS. |
|
|
Murray Mitchell / Daily News |
| JACLYN CUMMINGS, a 6-foot-1 rookie post from Sault Ste. Marie, is expected to be a future star of the TRU WolfPack. The WolfPack opened its season with two losses to the Fraser Valley Cascades. |
Olynyk kept in touch with Cummings and her family and, in the spring, they visited Kamloops and TRU's campus.
Cummings enjoyed the visit, loved looking outside and seeing the mountains, and felt she could have a bright future here.
That future started with an impressive showing Saturday, when Cummings went 3-for-4 from the field, scored seven points and grabbed seven boards. It should be noted that Cummings came off the bench.
"I was really nervous at first but once you get out there and the adrenaline kind of lowers, I kind of get into the run of things," Cummings said. "They have some big girls, for sure, so it was tough."
The WolfPack, under new head coach Scott Reeves, plays an up-tempo offence where speed is critical. And Cummings fits right in. She played basketball and volleyball in high school - and received interest to play either sport at universities in Ontario including Lakehead and McMaster - but it's her history in track and field which may help set her apart from other tall players in the Canada West.
Cummings was a standout in the 400-metre hurdles and 400m run.
"It definitely helps with the transition," she said. "We need that. We're smaller so we need to run the corut."
Olynyk also likes the fact she's a serious student. Cummings is a recipient of the President's Award at TRU - given out based on high school average - which means she'll earn $3,000 towards tuition as long as she maintains her GPA.
And it would appear that Cummings wants to stay here for the long term.
"I'm just learning about the city, learning about the area," she says. "I love just been travelling around... like to see the mountains, that's a huge thing for me. And meeting a lot of people. I'm in residence, so I'm enjoying that experience also."
TRU NOTES: Kelley O'Grady led the 'Pack on Sunday with 17 points. Kali Ellis was TRU's top scorer Saturday with 16 points... The WolfPack men's basketball team dropped both of its games to Fraser Valley. Charlie Spurr scored 21 points for the 'Pack in its 85-82 loss Sunday. TRU lost 81-74 Saturday, with Spurr netting 25.