By Joseph Staszewski
Jordan Washington saw a chance to end his career as a New York City high school basketball player in style and he delivered.
The former star of Pathways in St. Albans helped lead his New Heights travel basketball team to the Adidas Super 64 tournament title in Las Vegas last Aug. 28. The 6-foot-8 Washington, of St. Albans, was named the most valuable player of one of the nation’s premier tournament. He scored 14 points in New Heights’ 82-75 win over the Milwaukee Runnin Rebels in the final and gave his team an elusive crown in the 17U division. New Heights finished the summer ranked No. 5 in the country by Indi Hoops.
It felt good to win our last AAU tournament with New Heights,” Washington said. “We have been in it for two or three years and we never won it before.”
New Heights Coach and Cardinal Hayes assistant Joel Shapiro described Washington as the dominant force in the tournament. Washington, who will attend Indian Hills Community College in Iowa next fall, shined against top recruit Craig Victor of New Orleans Elite. He dropped in 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
“His impact on the game is tremendous,” Shapiro said. “His motor on the offensive glass and the defensive glass was there. He showed everything. He showed he could dribble in the open court, shoot on the perimeter”
The coach knew by the semifinals that Washington wasn’t going to let New Heights lose. He helped them beat four teams in the span of 24 hours after finishing unbeaten in pool play. Washington was confident he could dominate.
“I felt people couldn’t guard me in the post,” he said. “Some people tried.”
The win marked a close to one chapter in his life. Washington has played with New Heights since he was in the eighth-grade. He will now have to move on and leave the comfort of Queens and his family. Washington is close with his 73-year-old grandmother Joan, who lives in Jamaica, and returned to Pathways after beginning the school year at West Oaks Academy (Fla.). He has said he is more prepared this time.
“It’s time for me to grow up,” Washington said.
He sees this as a chance to focus on books, basketball and working out. He had scholarship offers from Pittsburgh, Louisville, Villanova, St. John’s and Memphis, among others, but will now have to wait two years and prove himself to coaches again. Washington still hopes to make playing Division I basketball a reality.
“It’s motivation to go down there, work hard, do my schoolwork and get in shape and show the Division I coaches what I have,” Washington said.
