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Knocking on Woods, she's got a future Ashland sophomore propels Grizzlies to head of SOC class By RANDY HAMMERICKSEN She's so physically gifted as a high school girls basketball player, she seems years ahead of her time. Ashland High sophomore Jackie Woods is barely 16 years old. But already, she's approaching at least the possibility of becoming the best overall girls prep basketball player to play in Southern Oregon. That's saying a lot. But many Ashland Grizzlies' fans, and Jackie's growing list of admirers, including her coach, believe it to be true. Woods, a 5-foot-11 sophomore center, has come along at just the right time to help continue the rise of Ashland High's girls basketball program under third-year coach Heather Roberts. As a sophomore post, she's averaging 15.1 points, 2.5 steals and nine rebounds a game. She could score more, but she doesn't force shots or plays.Roberts says her program arrived as a viable championship contender in the Southern Oregon Conference last Friday night when the Grizzlies defeated North Medford, 60-51, to take undisputed possession of first place with a 4-0 record. Woods scored 23 points. Roberts called the win one of her most satisfying ever. "I've been saying for two years that Jackie is a great athlete who just needs to improve her basketball skills," says Roberts. ``She's the best player in the league right now as a sophomore, I believe." Woods is just getting warmed up. "I don't want to push things, or get Jackie too confident yet," says Roberts. "She's working hard. You think she's good now, just wait. "She needs to improve her consistency and her focus on the court and then she will be a complete player," says Roberts. What makes Woods so good at such a young age? Let's start with size. She's 5-foot-11, 145 pounds. And growing. For a big girl, she can be a jet on the court. She runs the floor with speed and grace, and she has a first step beyond belief for a girl her age. Defenders can not stay with that first step, which normally propels her to an open lane to the basket. She glides to the basket with spin moves, power layups and quick jumpers. She has a soft touch on her assorted twisting shots around the basket, which gives her numerous friendly rolls on the rim. Woods can shoot outside and she makes her free throws, which is critical since she gets fouled so much driving to the basket. Her flaws are few. A lack of focus at times, Roberts says, and an inconsistent mental game, tied primarily to her youth. Woods is so athletic, Roberts says she could could play wide receiver for the Grizzlies. Now wait a minute. That's the Ashland Grizzlies, recently crowned state champions of Oregon Class 4A prep football for the third time in 10 years. Well, Woods looks like she could play with the boys. In fact, she's bigger than many of the "smurf" receivers during coach Jim Nagel's successful tenure. Woods' older sister, Leah, once played football for the Ashland junior varsity team, but then dropped out of the game because of its physical nature, especially playing against growing boys. "Don't tell her (Jackie) she could be a football player," says Roberts. "I don't want her getting any ideas. She might try it. I don't want her playing . She might get hurt." Woods grew up in Ashland with her mother, Dianna Plunk. By the time Jackie was in the fifth grade, her athletic talents and size made it clear she could excel in basketball. She started practicing basketball with J.P. Phillips, a Shakespearean actor and friend of the family. "We would go to the playground every day in the hot sun," says Woods. "We worked hard. He taught me to be quick to the basket.'' Mission accomplished. Woods will need to grow a couple of more inches to become a major college low-post player. "I think she has at least a couple of inches of growth in her," says Roberts. "If that happens, she will only need to improve her consistency as a player." Right now, she has the body and the skills to be a power forward. Jackie says he wants to play for North Carolina and has an eye on professional basketball. Lofty goals, to be sure. But a player of this caliber should have high expectations. She's on course, with her many physical gifts such as size, quickness, strength and basketball skills, to reach some of them. "She has a lot of potential to be a good college player, but sophomores are a long way from college players," says Southern Oregon University women's coach Shirley Huyett. "I coached her soccer team when she was 12, and I know she's very athletic. "It depends on how hard she wants to work at it from here as to what kind of a college basketball player she might be. "But she has a lot of potential." Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford,