Little Nemo. Belle. Sleeping Beauty.
That?s not just a collection of Disney characters, it?s the stickers that decorate Winters Mill senior Jordan Neville?s right knee brace. The stickers are added by Neville?s friends, teammates and herself, putting a pleasant spin on the constant reminder of the anterior cruciate ligament she tore just a minute and 20 seconds into last season.
But if there was any reservations the Falcons? senior captain would be the same standout player she was before the injuries, she quieted those doubters in the season opener. The 5-foot-9 guard posted a triple-double ? 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists ? in a 63-47 win over North Carroll.
“I came back for a little of AAU, but I wasn?t playing at my level,” Neville said. “I didn?t want to jump as high, didn?t want to dive. But after I got that first game out of the way, I felt like my old self and I am still getting my confidence back.”
Neville, who averages a team-high 13.3 points per game, is second on the team with 7.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. Her strong return has guided the ninth-ranked Falcons to a 14-0 start, including 7-0 in Carroll County play. Coach Bernie Koontz, who guided Winters Mill to county titles in 2005 and 2006, said the team?s success and Neville?s strong return hasn?t surprised him, even after the team stumbled to a seven-win season last year.
“There wasn?t a whole lot that was going to hold Jordan back being able to play basketball this year,” Koontz said. “She was a determined individual to get back onto the court this year.”
But just as important to the team?s success as Neville has been the play of senior guard Cassie Cook. Cook, who along with Neville are candidates for Carroll County Player of the Year, transferred from Westminster High during the summer and has averaged 11.5 points, 7.1 assists and 8.4 rebounds for the Falcons.
With strong rebounding ? the Falcons average 40.8rebounds per game ? Cook is able to consistently find Neville on the fast break for easy points. The Falcons average 18.9 assists and shoot 42.4 percent from the floor en route to scoring 60.9 points per game.
“Last year, just sitting and watching was pretty bad, it was a building year,” Neville said. “But to have Cassie come in and join the team and have this foundation definitely is exciting. When we have more than one player that can step up like that, hopefully that is going to take us far.”
Winters Mill has never won a state title, but reached the state semifinals in 2005 and the regional finals in 2006. Carroll County only has two girls state basketball champions, Francis Scott Key in 1997 and South Carroll in 1978. But Koontz reiterated the team must continue to focus on what has brought it success ? hard work ? and not the future.
“They know there are things they need to work on,” Koontz said. “They are trying to work on those to get better and be a much more well rounded team to play a full 32 minutes.”
