By Steve Spiewak
MaxPreps.com
Jeff Jordan may not be as tall as his father, or jump as high. He may not have Division I coaches at big time college programs drooling over his potential. But Saturday night, in front of over 7,000 fans at the 12th annual McDonald's City-Suburban Showdown, Jordan took over in the fourth quarter, carrying Loyola Academy to a thrilling 76-69 victory over Warren Township and evoking memories of his famous father.
Jordan finished with 18 points and four assists on the night, including a finger roll through the lane late in the fourth quarter that remarkably resembled something from his father's repertoire.
"Maybe I'm a little spoiled, but he's done that for us a lot," Loyola head coach Bryan Tucker said. "He's a competitor. He wants the ball and just wants to take the game over."
In a back-and-forth game, Warren never backed down, and gave the Ramblers just about everything they could handle. A three pointer by Ceola Clark gave the Blue Devils a 70-68 lead late in the fourth quarter. With the score knotted at 70, a basket by Jeff Jordan gave Loyola a lead it would not relinquish.
"This [win] will help us get ready for fast-paced, up-tempo games in the playoffs," Jordan said afterward.
Center Peter Sullivan had 22 points for the Ramblers, who also received 12 from D.J. Glavan, and eight from Jeff Jordan's younger brother, Marcus.
Warren was led by Clark and Logan Derrick, who each had 22 points, including 11 three pointers between them.
Simeon 74, St. Joseph (Westchester) 66
In the second game of the McDonald's City-Suburban Showdown, fans were treated to another matchup of state powers, as Simeon held off a late run by St. Joseph, beating the Chargers 74-66.
Simeon star Derrick Rose came out red hot in the first quarter, scoring 12 points and displaying a nice touch from behind the arc. He finished with 29 points, though it was his teammate, Tim Flowers, who really put the game out of reach.
The Chargers had no answer for Flowers, who poured in 23 points and snagged 14 rebounds. With St. Joseph coach Gene Pingatore reluctant to play zone defense, Flowers dominated every defensive assignment that he drew, displaying strength, good footwork and an array of post moves.
Ohio State recruit Evan Turner had 29 points in defeat, matching Rose for the game high. The two stars seemed to be in competition throughout the night, trying to outdo one another with each possession.