Green means go


Green healthy, confident heading into senior season


For the first time in more than a year, Central Michigan University women’s basketball’s senior point guard Jessica Green is 100 percent healthy.

A season-ending knee injury during her sophomore season might have hindered her performance, but Green is using a clean bill of health as a competitive edge.

“I will be able to do a better job than I did last year,” Green said. “I can finally say my knee is at 100 percent. If I can score 20 points every game, it would be pretty good. I definitely feel like I will have a bigger role this year.”

The Belleville-native started 2013-14 slowly but fought through the pain to finish with the third most points for the Chippewas last season.

Green scored 20-plus points four times last season and shot 41 percent from the floor.

In what was a breakout year for fellow senior guard Crystal Bradford, Green was an effective passer, contributing 115 assists during the duo’s junior campaign.

“She attracts a lot of attention,” said forward Jas’Mine Bracey, another member of the Chippewas outstanding senior class. “When (Green) drives, players seem to forget about the other four players.”

Green’s teammates said they appreciate her selflessness offensively but believe 2014-15 will be the time for her to make her mark as CMU’s primary scoring option.

“Sometimes she thinks she has to play this role of getting a healthy 10 points and dish the ball out to people,” Bradford said. “I want her to be a scoring point guard, too. I don’t want her to think she is a role player. She has to produce points every game.”

Green’s ability to shoot from behind the 3-point line might be most key in following through on the expectations her teammates and coaches have placed on her performance this winter.

“We are going to find new people who can hit threes,” said Head Coach Sue Guevara. “Before she went down with her knee injury, she was shooting around 40 percent (from 3-point range).”

Green has hit 54 long balls during her CMU career. She nearly doubled her career 3-point attempts last season, attempting 83.

Whatever her role ends up being this winter, Green said she is ready to help her team reclaim a Mid-American Conference title.

“I’m going to play every game like it’s my last game,” she said. “ I have to play all out. It’s all or nothing this year.”

As for her self-worth, Bradford said Green should think of herself in one way and one way only.

“Sophomore year, people called us Batman and Robin,” Bradford said. “I know we are going to play great together in a Bonnie and Clyde type of way.

“I want her to know she is a star.”

 

 

 

 

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