Q&A with Jayda Knuppe (2019)
One of the top unsigned seniors in the 2019 class in South Dakota is narrowing in on a decision. Senior forward Jayda Knuppe, a 5’10 post presence, has narrowed her list down to four schools and is close to making a…
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Continue ReadingOne of the top unsigned seniors in the 2019 class in South Dakota is narrowing in on a decision. Senior forward Jayda Knuppe, a 5’10 post presence, has narrowed her list down to four schools and is close to making a decision. Her final four schools consist of Briar Cliff, Mount Marty, Northwestern, and Morningside. Knuppe is making a final round of visits to each of these schools and has two more to go. Whichever school lands her will get a player with a lot of upside.
Knuppe is a dominant post player who is very fluid with the ball in the post. She plays taller than she stands as she has the ability to go up and get the rebound if the ball is anywhere near her. Offensively she is very skilled and has the ability to score at will around the rim.
The Dell Rapid’s standout also has the ability to stretch out the floor and shoot it a little. Offensively this is a huge boost to her game as she can move the defense around. She is a player who is advancing quickly and still has a load of potential in front of her. Once Knuppe is able to blend into a college system, the sky is the limit for her. I spoke with Knuppe about things such as her game, what she’s working on, and recruiting below.
How is your season going this year so far?
This season hasn’t been going as planned. We’ve had some tough games and close games. The Dakota 12 is a tough conference to play in. Our team just has to keep being aggressive and play hard all four quarters.
What are you working on the most individually?
Individually this season I am working on shooting threes and being consistent during games to develop myself more as a player. I’ve learned it’s harder to guard a player that can go inside and shoot outside.
What do you think separates you on the floor?
What I think separates me on the floor is all the aspects of my game coming together. I am a smaller post that can score in the paint and behind the arc. I feel like I have a good court awareness so I can pass the ball out of the paint for a better shot and up the court for a fast break. I work hard on both defense and offense. Boxing out is a huge reason why I get rebounds which I always try to do. Mainly, I know my confidence has increase a lot this year and it shows in games.
What are you working on in your game the most right now?
I am working on having more confidence while shooting threes so I can shoot more in games. I have a pretty good outside shot, so I just need to have faith and be confident that the ball will go in.
How’s the recruiting going?
It’s going pretty well. I’ve had contact with great coaches. They all have great qualities in their programs and schools. I have it narrowed down to a few, but I’m going to visit them again to make a decision. I visited schools in the summer, but I want to get the feel of the school with students.
What are you looking for in a school at the next level?
I’m looking for a school that has a good science program, a basketball program that I can see myself playing for, and is fun and allows me to be involved!