Jada Boyd Looks To Remain Dominant in 2021
RALEIGH, N.C – Every good basketball team relies on the presence of a good post player. When you think of some of the great post players in history, you think of their ability to grab rebounds, give their team second-chance opportunities, and score in the paint. Whether it be Shaquille O’Neal, who dominated in the paint averaging almost 24 points per game, or Dennis Rodman, who averaged 13 rebounds per game, each had their own role for their team.
For the North Carolina State Wolfpack, the post presence comes in the form of sophomore Jada Boyd. Last season, as a freshman, the Petersburg, Virginia native was an All-ACC Freshman Team member as she averaged 7.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
She averaged 15.7 minutes per game off the bench last year in the team’s 31 games. Her 95-176 (54%) field-goal percentage ranked eight among all freshman in program history.
This season, Boyd has stepped up in a big way. Through just five games, she is averaging 64.7% from the field, which leads the Wolfpack and ranks third in the ACC. Jada has nearly doubled her points-per-game this season averaging 12 points per game and has improved her rebounding, as she is averaging 6.4 rebounds per game this season.
In the Wolfpack’s victory against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Boyd scored a career-high 26 points on 9-of-12 from the field and knocked down eight out of nine free-throws. Her presence inside forced the Yellow Jacket defenders to crash down, which led to open three-point shots for Jakia Turner-Brown and Kayla Jones.
After not scoring through the first three quarters in their last game against the Boston College Eagles, Boyd found her rhythm in the fourth to finish with ten points as she knocked down four of five free throws and grabbed ten rebounds.
In her first game of the season, Boyd scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to help the Wolfpack get a victory over the University of North Florida.
Boyd has transformed herself from a great role player last season to a star off the bench for the nationally third-ranked Wolfpack. It’s clear she is becoming the dominant post presence that the Wolfpack needs to help them reach the Final Four for the first time since 1998.
Look for Boyd and the Wolfpack to continue their undefeated season after another break as NC State has postponed their next two games @ Virginia Tech 1/7, @ Wake 1/10) due to some COVID-19-related issues.