Jaeden Greenleaf becomes 2nd Cape Cod hoops player to score 2,000 points
Jaeden Greenleaf of Cape Cod Academy makes a three-point shot over ElijahSearight of Dennis-Yarmouth to score his 2,000th career point on Thursday. Ron Schloerb/Cape Cod Times
OSTERVILLE — "Right when it left my hands, I knew it was going in and it felt amazing when it went through the hoop," Cape Cod Academy senior Jaeden Greenleaf said after he scored his 2,000th high school point during a 79-50 win over Dennis-Yarmouth on Thursday.
Greenleaf hit a three-pointer with 4:37 left in the fourth quarter and became the first Cape Cod player to score 2,000 points since Kendall Currence of Falmouth Academy scored 2,310 points during her 2014-2018 high school career.
Greenleaf started the game 33 points short of the 2,000 mark, and a new school record, but finished with 34 points, despite not scoring in the first quarter.
"In the first quarter obviously the nerves were kicking in, but I knew I was going to let the game come to me and I just started to get going," Greenleaf said.
When he joined the team five years ago, Greenleaf said, he knew he would play a significant role. His goal was to be the best scorer.
When Cape Cod Academy head coach Adam Rose took his position six years ago, he said Greenleaf, an eighth grader, came in the next year and established himself as the premier player right away.
"There are only a few athletes that come through Cape Cod who are able to do some of the things Jaeden has been able to do over his time here at CCA," Rose said. "He has been the architect of our program and gives his teammates all around him confidence."
Sophomore teammate Trey Merritt said it is great playing with somebody like Greenleaf.
Jaeden Greenleaf get a hug from his girlfriend, Bella DiGiovanni, a fellow senior at Cape Cod Academy, after he scored his 2,000th point during the game with Dennis-Yarmouth in Osterville on Thursday. Ron Schloerb/Cape Cod Times
"Being able to depend on him when some guys are having off games is great," he said. "I was looking for him towards the end of the game so he could achieve his goal and accomplish it. It's just great to see what he can do."
To get to this point as an efficient scorer, Greenleaf had multiple ways of staying in shape and working on his game.
"I play AAU and I'm in the gym six days a week training, a couple days for basketball, and eating as much as I can to grow," he said.
On Jan 30, 2020, he scored his 1,000th point when he hit a free throw in the fourth quarter during a game against Martha’s Vineyard, which the Seahawks won 70-62. At the time, Greenleaf was only a sophomore and one of a few academy players to hit the 1,000-point mark.
He became the all-time leading boys basketball scorer in Cape Cod history on Feb. 16, 2021, scoring 35 points in the Seahawks’ 69-29 Cape & Islands League Lighthouse home win against the Sturgis East Storm. A starter since the eighth grade and multiyear league all-star, he surpassed the 1,705 mark set by 2006 Chatham grad Christian Messersmith that day.
Greenleaf said Thursday that as he grew in height and weight his biggest development over the past five years has been his strength and his athleticism.
Rose has coached Greenleaf throughout his entire high school career and has seen his skills progress.
"His biggest improvement for me is that he is able to see the competition and continues to have the trust in himself that, no matter who else is on the other side of the floor, he is still going to be able to do his thing and lead this team to a win," Rose said. "No matter the size of the team we play, Jaeden has been cool, calm, collected and composed when we need him the most."
The Cape Cod Academy Seahawks are 7-0 so far this season and Greenleaf has a lot to do with that success. He says, however, that the defense has a lot to do with the team's success.
"Honestly, we have been playing well together and our defense is crazy this season," he said. "Our rotations and our double teams, we have been doing good on those this year. … We just have to keep our energy high and start the games rolling."
One of the players who has been a part of that strong defense is Merritt, who finished with 12 steals in the win over Dennis-Yarmouth.
Jaeden Greenleaf, left, celebrates with his Cape Cod Academy teammate Trey Merritt after reaching his 2,000 point mark during their game with Dennis-Yarmouth on Thursday night. Ron Schloerb/Cape Cod Times
"I just try to hold my man to as few points as he can score," Merritt said after the game. "If that steal is there, it's looking like a moneybag and I have to steal that."
When Greenleaf scored the new school record for most points he was swarmed by his teammates at mid-court, and a few minutes later by his coaches and his parents on the sideline.
Rose said that one thing he and Jaeden have worked on is that there is a bigger picture beyond high school, which is for him to take his talent to the next level.
"I definitely want to play college ball and a few colleges have reached out to me and I spoke with some, but I'm going to wait it out and see what happens."
