A love of basketball: Tigers' Jaylen Townsend plays key role in success of team

FRONTENAC, Mo. - Edwardsville's Jaylen Townsend has been a key player for the Tigers' talented girls basketball team this season.

Townsend has played a key role in two recent Tigers' matchups, one on Thursday at East St. Louis and another on Jan. 17 against St. Joseph Academy. In both games she scored in double figures. Against St. Joseph's, she had 13 points and Thursday night against East St. Louis she had 12 points. She is a multi-dimensional player, and is a force on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court. Townsend can also handle the ball well and rebound at a high level.

In an interview, she said she was "blessed" to be a player on such a strong Edwardsville girls basketball team under head coach Lori Blade. She said she has learned a considerable amount about teamwork and playing under her mentor coach Blade. Edwardsville is the state's top ranked girls basketball team with a 23-0 overall mark and is rated high in national rankings.

The Tigers remain undefeated with a 57-42 win over East St. Louis on Thursday at East Side. In Townsend's other big game, the Tigers defeated St. Joseph's Academy 51-43.

Being part of the starting five on the Tigers is an important role for the junior. The epitome of a team player, when asked what her role was, Townsend said: “to do whatever possible to help the team – anything, whether that's rebounding, scoring or setting screens.”

While the Tigers are preparing for the final stretch, Townsend is keeping things in perspective.

“We're just taking it game by game,' Townsend said of her team's approach. “We're blessed to get this far, so we're just taking it game by game.”

Townsend has been playing basketball since age seven and it is a sport she truly loves playing as a Tiger.

Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.

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