LSU freshman guard Jenna Deemer finds a hole in Sam Houston State’s zone defense and cuts into the open space on the left wing.
Seconds later, junior guard Anne Pedersen swings the ball out to Deemer, who coolly drains the long-range 3-pointer.
The lights may be brighter in the PMAC, and the colors on her jersey may be purple and gold, but on the court, Deemer is the same player she always has been — a shooter.
After scoring 1,715 points in her high school career at Ursuline Academy in New Orleans, Deemer came to LSU a proven scorer and has embraced her responsibility to spark the Lady Tigers’ offense with perimeter shots.
LSU coach Nikki Caldwell recruited Deemer for her ability to shoot and her smart play, allowing Deemer to contribute immediately.
“You have to know where [Deemer is] at all times on the floor,” Caldwell said. “If you don’t, she is going to make you pay for it. She welcomes [this responsibility]. She’ll be the first one to tell you — ‘I have to make shots.’”
Deemer has played a key role in LSU’s offense coming off the bench, leading the Lady Tigers’ bench with 23 points.
In the Lady Tigers’ two preseason exhibitions, Deemer led LSU with 40 combined points and shot 86.7 percent from the field, including 7-for-10 from behind the 3-point line.
“It’s great to come out and succeed in those first couple of games because everybody’s waiting to see what you can do on this level or if you’re good enough to be on this level,” Deemer said. “Just to come out like I did was a blessing for me.”
But Deemer struggled against tougher defensive pressure in the regular season opener against the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, scoring only seven points on 2-for-5 shooting.
Deemer bounced back in the Tigers’ second game against Sam Houston State when she found her rhythm within the offense.
Against the Bearkats, Deemer led the Lady Tigers with 16 points, including 2-for-3 from behind the 3-point line.
Deemer’s offensive production is crucial to help fill the void left by former LSU guard Jeanne Kenney.
“When you’re going to lose Jeanne Kenney, and you’re going to lose a player that really extended the defense,” Caldwell said. “Deemer is that kid.”
Kenney was LSU’s premier threat on the perimeter in 2013, leading the Lady Tigers with 71 3-pointers and 3-point percentage shooting with 39.2 percent.
So far this season, Deemer leads LSU in 3-pointers made and 3-point-percentage with 50 percent.
Although Deemer’s immediate impact on the court may surprise some, her success stems from hours spent working on her shot both in and out of season in Ursuline Academy’s gym.
Ursuline Academy coach Andrea Williams, who coached Deemer from her sophomore to her senior year, remembered how Deemer developed her natural ability to shoot through hard work and dedication.
“She always was a good shooter, but I think after continuing to play and continuing to work during the offseason and preseason on her shot, it just made her become basically an almost perfect shooter,” Williams said. “Nobody is going to be perfect, but her hard work that she put in, in and out of season, I think really helped her develop her game in all aspects.”
During this two-year span, Deemer evolved from a pure shooting guard to a point guard who could control the flow of the offense.
For Williams, Deemer’s improvement as a ball-handler was key to this transition.
“I want to say her ball handling that improved her game because she went from just being a shooter, which a lot of people know her for, but also being able to be the floor general,” Williams said. “[Deemer was able to] control what is going on, control the tempo, call and run the plays, and know where everybody is supposed to be at [in her senior year].”
Another key part to Deemer’s development was her continuous study of the game and her high basketball IQ. This allowed her to recognize different defenses and call plays that best counter the opponent’s offense.
Along with her ability to control the flow of the game, Deemer’s confidence on the court inspired her high school teammates.
“I don’t want to seem cocky, but when you’re a shooter, you’re a shooter,” Deemer said. “That’s kind of what I do. I practice it, put up shots every week. It’s just been a blessing for them to fall in the game.”
Deemer’s confidence has translated on the collegiate stage, which sets her apart from most freshman.
“She doesn’t just look to shoot — she knows and feels that it’s going,” Caldwell said. “That’s a confidence that she gives our team, which is pretty remarkable considering that this is only her [freshman season] as a Division I basketball player.”
You can reach Morgan Prewitt on Twitter @kmprewitt_TDR.