Leaping into history: Jenna Slates breaks Green girls basketball career rebounds record
If you want to see the name Jenna Slates, all you have to do is look at the Green girls basketball record book.
The junior added her name to another category in that book on Monday night, as she became the program's all-time leading rebounder with her fifth board of the game against Solon with 7:30 remaining in the second quarter on an offensive rebound.
The record-setting rebound was Slates’ 602nd of her career, surpassing the number set by Alyssa Ziehler from 2019-22. She finished the game with 20 points and 15 rebounds.
"She got five offensive rebounds, 10 defensive rebounds, 15 total against a good team, with only two turnovers," Green head coach Alicia Manning said. "(She had) 20 points, shooting 8-for-12, getting to the free throw line and shooting 75% from there. There's not really much more you can ask of someone. And it's to be expected."
Already the single-season rebound record holder with 252 as a sophomore last season, the 5-foot-10 Slates has credited her time as a catcher in softball as a youth in helping her build the strength in her legs, giving her an ability to go up and over other players to grab a board.
“Growing up, I was a catcher in softball, so I got all of my power from staying in the position that long,” Slates said last season. “I have never been scared of contact, and it doesn’t really bother me. Since I have a strong base, I usually don’t fall, and I can push off (the floor) really hard.”
Just last week, Slates had 23 points and 11 rebounds in a win over St. Joseph Academy at the South Range Holiday Classic. She followed that up earlier this week with a 31-point, 18-rebound performance in a win over Howland.
And this past Saturday, she scored 21 points and had eight rebounds against Canton McKinley. In that game, she also etched her name in the record book as the program's career steals leader with 156 thefts.
Having already broken three program records just 12 games into her junior year, the potential for Slates to do even more is starting to become a reality.
"I didn't expect last year to even break the (single-season rebounding) record," Slates said. "But breaking that record was really an opening for me because I could realize that I could break more. I actually didn't even know last game that I was even close to breaking the steals record. So now breaking my third record, it's like I have so many other opportunities and I know my potential of breaking more records."
Slates entered Friday night with 591 points and 597 rebounds in her two-plus years at Green, putting her on track to possibly score 1,000 career points and grab 1,000 career rebounds, something her coach wants to see her do.
"I'm kind of putting it out there that I want her to be 1,000-point scorer, 1,000 rebounder," Manning said.
She also thinks her junior can reach the school scoring mark, currently at held by Julia Guyton from 2012-15.
"The only one left that she hasn't broken is points, which right now it's 1049," Manning said. "So we got to break that one. "Who knows what other ones she'll break too."
Green Junior Jenna Slates poses with head coach Alicia Manning after breaking the Green girls basketball career rebounding record in a game against Solon on Monday, January 8, 2024. Photo credit: Ryan Isley, SBLive Sports
Ryan Isley, SBLive Sports
And while it's fun to celebrate individual records, Manning knows that Slates has other things on her mind when it comes to her game.
"It's cool to get the recognition but I think she cares more about getting better every day and that's always been her focus," Manning said. "This stuff kind of just crept up on us honestly. We preach that your hard work will pay off and we're seeing it. She wants to be the best. She's going to do whatever it takes to be the best. She has determination. She's got the will, and that's why she's breaking as many records as she has."
The thought of coming back after her playing career and seeing her name up and down the board that holds the Green records is something Slates looks forward to because of what it means to her family.
"It's going to feel great, you know looking at my name, both my parents went to Green," Slates said. "Out of the three kids my mom had, I'm the only one that went to Green so leaving that mark of hey, a Slates has a record up or multiple records, it's just a great feeling."
-- Ryan Isley | ryan@scorebooklive.com | @sbliveoh
(Photo of Jenna Slates by Jeff Harwell, SBLive Sports)
