Gordon walks off with MVP, plans for future career
Washington’s Tajah Gordon drives for a layup for the White team in the Washington-Greene County High School Senior All-Star Basketball Game. Gordon, who will attempt to walk on at Ohio University, scored a game-high 22 points and was team MVP.
Trinity’s Mary Dunn works inside for the red team against white team defenders Mikayla Maltony, left, and Tajah Gordon, both of Washington, in the Washington-Greene County High School Senior All-Star Basketball Game Friday night at Washington High School. Dunn earned team MVP honors.
The ways to console a young athlete after a heartbreaking defeat are few and far between.
With tears streaming down the face of Wash High senior forward Tajah Gordon following its 49-48 WPIAL first round loss to Chartiers-Houston in February, it took one former Prexie to encourage a current one.
Chartiers-Houston head coach, and former Wash High standout, Laura Montecalvo approached Gordon with a simple question, “Do you have any plans to continue playing?”
At the time, the simple question followed with an uncertain answer.
“She said she really did not know,” Montecalvo recalled. “I told her it might be something to think about, and if she ever needed any help to let me know.”
Gordon, who participated in the Washington-Greene County High School Senior All-Star Girls Basketball Game Friday night and played for the White team, was named co-MVP, with Trinity’s Mary Dunn, after a 22-point, eight-rebound and four-block performance in a 47-45 loss to the Red team.
Montecalvo was Wash High’s last MVP winner, in 2006.
“It is an honor,” Gordon said. “Playing on your home court, scoring the most points in the game and being named the Most Valuable Player is definitely a memorable moment. Doing it when Laura (Montecalvo) was coaching the other team is a pretty crazy experience.”
More than a month later, Montecalvo’s question remains unanswered, but Gordon’s mind does not have to do any more searching. After averaging 16 points per game during her senior season, and several weeks out of competition, Gordon has plans of attempting to walk on to Ohio University’s team in the fall.
“When we got together to practice for this game, she told me she had intentions on playing,” said an enthused Montecalvo, who will see a lot of Gordon in the future.
The former Prexies basketball standout is planning to make sure that question she posed to a distraught Gordon in the middle of February becomes a reality. Montecalvo will assist Gordon with training over the coming months.
“I am not exactly sure what it will all entail or how it will be set up,” Montecalvo said. “For her to be successful at the Division I level, she is going to have to get stronger. It will be important to work on an outside shot, ball-handling and guard skills because she will not be playing much under the basket with the size of Division I players. She has the grit, the heart and the skills to continue her career. That is for sure.”
Gordon’s performance for the White was balanced by Prexie teammate Mikayla Maltony’s nine points and four rebounds.
“It was just an overall great experience to play one last game with her,” Gordon said. “Normally, it would have worked out that we were on different teams somehow. But for this game, I was able to play alongside my best friend.”
Dunn will definitely be playing Division I basketball. A Youngstown State recruit, Dunn finished with 17 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots, all good for team-highs while leading the Red to victory. Chartiers-Houston’s Cassidy Stollar had 11 points for the Red team.