It took nearly all four years to do what any college basketball player should be able to do.
Guest logged at least 24 minutes of playing time in each of 草莓社区鈥檚 last six games. In the last three, she played no fewer than 29 minutes and registered double-doubles in the Royals鈥� win over Hollins on Saturday and loss at Emory & Henry on Jan. 14. The 32 minutes she played in EMU鈥檚 loss last week at rival Bridgewater was a career-high 鈥� she also had a career-best 25 points in the contest.
Before this season, she only played more than 20 minutes in a game twice.
鈥淢y play wasn鈥檛 the problem, it was my endurance. I had to run a lot because I would get tired so easily. I feel like running over the summer 鈥� running the track and running the hills 鈥� as much as I hated it, I feel like it鈥檚 helped me now.鈥�
EMU coach said Guest has dropped between 35 and 40 pounds over the course of her career.
Standing at 6-foot-2 with the ability now to stay on the court for the majority of a game, Guest gives the Royals a much-needed presence in the paint.
She鈥檚 the team鈥檚 only true center.
鈥淪he鈥檚 played a lot here lately,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥淪ome of it is that she has played her way into better shape and some of it is that we鈥檝e been in foul trouble and needed her out there, but she鈥檚 done a great job of adapting and hanging in there.鈥�
The Potomac High School product is averaging 13.9 points and 10.4 rebounds per game in Old Dominion Athletic Conference action 鈥� both numbers lead the Royals.
As the lone senior on the team, Guest said she felt like she had to take charge both on and off the court.
Leaning on her leadership and consistent play, EMU is 10-6 overall and 5-3 in the ODAC with eight regular-season games left. The Royals are at Shenandoah tonight for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
Griffin said Guest is the constant on the youngest team he鈥檚 ever had in his 12 seasons at EMU.
鈥淭here is not a better kid in terms of when she walks in the room or the gym or down the hallway,鈥� Griffin said of Guest. 鈥淪he always has a smile on her face. I don鈥檛 remember a practice where we鈥檝e had to wonder if she鈥檚 had a good day or a bad day and that鈥檚 huge.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e doing this and it鈥檚 rainy out and have been at this for four months and the kids are tired and the weather stinks and there鈥檚 a kid like that on your team who can relate to everyone while bringing a positive energy with a smile on her face, that鈥檚 huge. In my mind, that鈥檚 some of the best leadership we get out of her.鈥�
Junior guard Myneshia Walker, who shares the same major 鈥� sociology 鈥� as Guest, said her teammate set the tone for EMU鈥檚 2016-17 campaign when she spent extra time running to get in shape during the summer.
鈥淗er game has grown a lot over the last couple of years,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淪he always stays after practice to put in the extra work and then when she lost all that weight and I saw her after coming back from the summertime, I was like, 鈥榃ow, Jonae must be serious this year.鈥欌��
While wearing a wearing a knit hat with the logo of her favorite NBA team, the San Antonio Spurs 鈥� a team synonymous with leadership having won five NBA titles under coach Gregg Popovich 鈥� Guest said she鈥檚 embraced and enjoyed her leadership role.
鈥淏eing in a leadership role, you鈥檙e forced to talk more and to lead by example,鈥� Guest said. 鈥淣ow I鈥檓 more used to talking with people and being in front of people. I think having that leadership background will help me, especially with what I want to do after graduation.鈥�
Griffin said whatever Guest does beyond basketball she would succeed at.
鈥淪he鈥檒l be fantastic,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥淪he worked our basketball camps every summer, so I鈥檝e watched her in that role and seen her ability to relate. Of course when you鈥檙e working with little kids and you鈥檙e 6-foot-2, they鈥檙e naturally drawn to you. But, she also carries herself in this humble and very welcoming way.鈥�
In the meantime, Guest said she wants to lead EMU to a strong finish and go on a run in the ODAC tournament.
鈥淓very player wants to go to the tournament and I still think we have a good chance,鈥� Guest said. 鈥淎nything can happen in ODAC play. Any team can win. Any team can lose. If we play the way we鈥檙e supposed to, I鈥檇 love to win one. We still have some kinks to figure out, but if we play how we鈥檙e supposed to play, if we give that energy, we鈥檒l be the shocker in the ODAC.鈥�
Regardless of what happens during the stretch run, Griffin said Guest would leave his program in a better place.
鈥淭he thing about Jonae is that she is genuine,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥淗er care for her teammates, our program and this school is real. Her care for people is real. My hope for our team is that it rubs off on them.鈥�