By Robert Wilson
After 45 seasons of coaching girls basketball, Jackson Academy coach Jan Sojourner is in her last season after a successful career of more than 1,000 wins, 10 MAIS state championships and six Overall Tournament titles.
JA’s Jayden Rhymes helped give her a highlight game to remember last weekend.
The 5-foot-6 junior guard scored a career-high 25 points to help JA to a surprising, 70-63 victory over defending MAIS Overall champion East Rankin Academy Saturday at the Raiderdome on Jan Sojourner Court at JA in Northeast Jackson.
For her outstanding performance, Rhymes has been named the Junction Deli/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Girls Basketball Player of the Week.
Rhymes made 9 of 16 shots from the field (56.3 percent), 3 of 6 from 3-point range (50 percent), and 4 of 8 (50 percent) from the free throw line to along with 3 assists and 2 rebounds.
East Rankin came in ranked No. 7 in Mississippi by MaxPreps and had a 21-1 record. JA was ranked No. 30. The Lady Raiders moved up to No. 17 Tuesday after the big win.
“Jayden did an awesome job,” said Sojourner, the third winningest girls basketball coach in Mississippi history with 1,046 victories in her 45 seasons, with 940 wins in 40 seasons at JA. “She did a good job getting us into the offense we wanted to run, knocked down some outside and got downhill by taking the ball to the basket. Jayden handled the pressure well. She did a really good job on (East Rankin senior point guard) Presley (Thompson). Presley is big threat when she turns the corner with her left hand and draws a lot of fouls. Jayden worked hard this summer on shooting and has really improved her shot. She has done a great job of beating people off the dribble and also penetrating and kicking it out to our shooters on the perimeter. Jayden was a part time starter last year and has stepped up into the leadership role this season.”
“Jayden is a fun player to watch,” East Rankin coach Brooke Rhodes said. “Her ability to shoot the 3 and also get downhill and score at the rim is special and she did a great job of that against us on Saturday. I thought she did a great job of playing with high energy as well.”
Rhymes is averaging 10.5 points, 3.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists this season going into this week.
Rhymes is the daughter of Jessica Lampley and Caleb Rhymes. Jessica was in the band at Forest Hill High and Mississippi State and left MSU during sophomore year to join the Air Force. Caleb played baseball and basketball at Terry High and attended Jackson State. Rhymes has four siblings, stepsister Regan is a junior at Northwest Rankin, sister Kaitlyn is in the third grade, Edy Grace is in the first grade and Mason is 4 years old.
JA, 13-3 overall and 1-0 in MAIS Class 6A play, plays at defending 6A state champion Jackson Prep, 16-4 and 1-0 in 6A play, Friday night at Prep in Flowood.
Mississippi Scoreboard selects a girls basketball player from Hinds, Madison, or Rankin counties each week. Coaches can nominate a player by text or call to Robert Wilson at 601.506.2276.
WEEK ONE: Shamira Morton, Canton
WEEK TWO: Alya Benson, Germantown
WEEK THREE: Karley Robinson, Madison Central
WEEK FOUR: Anna Morgan Anderson, MRA
