American Canyon's Jordan Woodson is Times-Herald Athlete of the ...

31 Jan 2024

Vallejo Times-Herald

American Canyons Jordan Woodson is TimesHerald Athlete of the

The Wolves are 6-3 in the Vine Valley Athletic League and picked up three wins last week with Woodson averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds a game during that span.

It hasn’t taken long for American Canyon High School sophomore Jordan Woodson to make a difference on the basketball court.

Last year as a freshman Woodson was second on the Wolves with 11.7 points and 5.8 rebounds a game. Now a sophomore, Woodson keeps elevating her game.

The Wolves are 6-3 in the Vine Valley Athletic League after picking up three wins last week, with Woodson averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds a game during that span. Her biggest game might have been a 22-point, 12-rebound effort in a win over Sonoma Valley. Or it could have been the 15-point, 14-rebound outing against Casa Grande.

Either way, she’s the Times-Herald Athlete of the Week.

“I definitely feel the game is coming easier to me my second year on varsity,” Woodson said. “This year I kind of know what to expect at the varsity level. I’m finding an easier time finding my shot and playing defense.”

American Canyon head coach Angela Davis has been happy with the way Woodson has progressed.

“What’s really helped her is her willingness to ask questions, especially in practice,” the coach said. “She’s a natural athlete, so she is going to be a good player, but her asking questions about angles of a shot, or where to be on the floor or why a certain shot was the right one to take — that has made her a smarter player.

“She’s really starting to see the fruits of her labor,” the coach continued. “She’s been our primary post player, playing forward. But she can also handle the ball, get assists and also step outside and shoot.”

Woodson said playing the post was a tough transition for her to make, but she feels she’s got a handle on it now.

“At first it was kind of nerve-wracking because I never played the post,” Woodson said. “I’m 5-foot-7, but I had to find a way to find my shot easier. I had to find a way to find space for myself in the post when you’re getting banged around.”

Woodson said her favorite game this past week was the win over Sonoma Valley, mainly because the team avenged a loss against the Dragons from earlier in the year.

“We watched a lot of film on them and watched how to defend them and what they were giving us offensively,” Woodson said.

The sophomore was quick to point out that the team’s recent success is not just because of her, but instead a complete team effort.

“I don’t think it’s been just one player that has taken me under their wing and showed me how to play at the varsity level. It’s been everyone doing that,” Woodson said. “I think that’s why we’ve been playing so well — we have very good team chemistry. As a team we’ve been very good lately on defense. Everyone is looking for each other to find a good shot, and we’re also not degrading each other if something goes wrong.”

Davis said that if Woodson’s game keeps improving, the sky is the limit.

“She’s been doing a mixture of everything well,” the coach said. “She’s been battling well for rebounds, she runs the fast break well and she’s able to finish. But maybe more than anything she’s become a very good free-throw shooter, which makes her more difficult to defend.”