Green leading Redhawks during junior campaign

Early in the 2023-24 women’s basketball season, the Redhawks are currently 5-11 and 2-3 in the Ohio Valley Conference. While this certainly does not look like a major success, SEMO is just three games out from first-place Southern Indiana.

Much of the success of the Redhawks comes from junior forward Jaliyah Green who leads the team in points per game (14.3), defensive rebounds per game (3.3) and three-point percentage (30.3%). Green has been the leading scorer in seven of the 16 games played thus far, Green said the work she puts in and her faith help her perform well on the court.

“Honestly it’s a lot of time in the gym working on my game, I also pray a lot and I really think that helps me put my mind at ease,” Green said.

Of course, Green does not try to take all the recognition as she credits both her teammates and head coach Rekha Patterson with her on-court accomplishments.

“It’s just a lot of practice, coach has us come in early in the morning and we come back for a second practice,” Green said. “Everything coach does ties into how we all play the game.”

As one of the few upperclassmen who have been at SEMO their whole career, Green has been part of a 2-16 OVC season and a 10-8 OVC season. Sticking with a team in the age of Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) deals and the transfer portal is something coach Patterson said she is truly grateful for.

“She is a fan favorite and she has a chance to really cement her legacy in this program by staying for four years,” Patterson said. “I hope she stays next year, but staying for four years when others maybe didn't and I hope she feels the rewards of doing that.”

While Green is obviously a good basketball player, both coach Patterson and teammates share the sentiment that Jaliyah is also a good person.

“Jaliyah is authentically Jaliyah. She has her own style, which I love because it's nothing like anybody else's and she owns it, which takes a lot of confidence. She believes in herself,” Patterson said. “She writes down her goals. She stays focused on those goals and stays true to them. I think she is a good teammate and I think she's a good friend.”

Jaliyah Green and the Redhawks will be back in action on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. when they take on the SIUE Cougars at the Show Me Center.