Millbrook's Jordan Sugars -- Reserved junior has pushed team back to states -- By Tommy Keeler Jr. (Daily Staff Writer)
WINCHESTER — Millbrook is a young squad, so it's no surprise that one of its leaders is only a junior.
Jordan Sugars is the most experienced player the Pioneers possess, forcing him into a leadership role. It's been a tough transition for the quiet, 6-foot-2 swingman.
"We've asked him to step outside of his shell a little bit," Millbrook coach Scott Mankins said earlier this week. "I think Jordan will be better off because of this and I think it will make him a better player in the long run. He's not a 'rah-rah' kind of leader."
Still, Sugars' leadership has guided the Pioneers to the Group AA state tournament quarterfinals, where they will face Brunswick at 7 p.m. Saturday at Prince George High School. It's the Pioneers' second state tournament berth in the past three years.
The Pioneers (24-5) have only two seniors — Sean Courtney, who transferred from Florida this season, and Justin Farnan, a bench player. That leaves Sugars as the lone veteran.
On the court, there's no question he is a go-to player, leading the team in scoring at 16.6 points per game. In the Region II tournament championship game against Waynesboro on Monday night, Sugars had 19 points — 16 in the second half. As the Pioneers fell apart in the fourth quarter, he kept them in the game with his solid play.
"I just wanted to do whatever it took to win," he said. "It wasn't enough."
Sugars also averages 6.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.4 steals per game. He can play inside or outside, but said he doesn't have a preference.
"I think the reason he's so versatile is because of his strength," Mankins said. "He works very hard in the weight room."
Sugars spends most of the offseason preparing for the next campaign. He played football this fall for the first time, but said his first love is basketball.
"I just love to be out on the court playing," he said. "It's hard to describe, but playing basketball makes me happy."
Sugars has played for several AAU squads, and now plays for a West Virginia team, Pump and Run. He said the experience of playing year-round has helped his game significantly.
His forays in AAU competition have given him added confidence, an attribute Mankins said is Sugars' biggest strength.
"He has a lot of confidence in himself," the coach said. "And that carries over to the rest of the team."
When Sugars isn't in the game, the Pioneers just aren't the same. In the Northwestern District tournament championship game, Sugars hit the floor hard near the end of the first quarter and missed much of the rest of the game as he tried to shake off a headache.
The Pioneers scored only four points in the third quarter and made only one basket in the second half with Sugars out of the lineup.
As a freshman, Sugars moved up to the varsity level at the end of the season and made an impact off the bench for a team that advanced to the state quarterfinals, where it lost to Greensville County. He's the only player on this year's team who played in that game, which was also held at Prince George; he scored five points.
"I remember seeing how hard the seniors played and how tough it was to watch them lose," he said. "It made me realize your senior year is something you'll never forget. I really want to make the most of my senior year."
Until then, the Pioneers would like to take this season a step or two farther. And Sugars knows the Pioneers' success could depend on his leadership.
"I think I need to improve my leadership," he said.
"Hopefully, in the next couple games, I'll step up and be more of a leader."
