A Bear That is Built Different: Jaylen Welch averages 24 points on the season

ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - Jaylen Welch has dominated on the football field during his time at Bolton being their gadget player, but he has always made time to get work in on the court even when others did not know.

“He will sneak in the gym every once in a while with me,” said Bears Head Coach Fred Eloi. “All five of my starters were football players this year, and they would come in here even when they weren’t supposed to. They wouldn’t put down that basketball at all.”

Welch is averaging 24 points per game this season, and last week in the district matchup against Buckeye, he finished with 32, which has drawn interest from college coaches.

He is the Bears’ playmaker, as every time the team steps on the court, they look to him to get the momentum going.

“I generate everything, everything that goes on goes through me,” said Jaylen Welch. “If I am not playing right, then nobody else is playing right. I set all the plays up, assists, score the ball, I can score at will, set everybody up.”

“He controls everything. He brings the ball down, and he controls everything,” said Ja’Corian Brown.

Coach Eloi said the senior is built differently, as Jaylen has become like a coach on the court and in the huddle along with earning his coach’s trust.

“He can pull up a three-point shot from whenever he wants to,” said Eloi. “I have never done that with any of my other players in my career here. Last night, we played Marksville, and I called out a defense, and he screamed back at me the reason why not to do it, and it made a lot of sense, so I called it off. I like that. I like to be challenged in my decisions. He felt more comfortable in that defense, so that is what we went with.”

In each game, there is always a test, and Jaylen is the guy to reassure his teammates.

“Keep pushing, move the ball down the floor, run the floor. If we run the floor, no one can keep up with us,” said Welch.

For his leadership skills and setting an example for his teammates, Jaylen Welch is this week’s ACA Athlete of the Week.

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