Braden River freshman point guard getting rave reviews

East County sports fans probably haven't heard of O’Mariah Gordon.

She’s a freshman at Braden River High, so that could be expected. It won't be long, though, before the 5-foot-4 point guard will be one of the first players mentioned when the topic of area basketball is discussed.

ESPN lists Gordon as a top-20 player nationally in her class (those 20 players are not ranked in any order), and Dan Olson, a girls basketball recruiting analyst for the Collegiate Girls Basketball Report, has Gordon ranked second overall.

“She has separated herself from other point guards nationally,” Olson said. “She’s consistent, she makes plays toward the basket and she finishes them. She plays with confidence. Lots of players at her level don’t have a jump shot. Gordon does everything. She’s a dynamo.”

Gordon didn’t play the sport until she was 7 years old because softball was her first love. Her father, Olden Gordon, convinced her to try basketball, and she quickly discovered her talent, so she stuck with it.

Her basketball star rose to prominence over the summer when Gordon competed in the Run 4 Roses Classic and the Battle In The ‘Boro tournament, both held in July in Louisville, Ky. She started fielding offers from major Division 1 schools, including the University of South Carolina, the defending NCAA national champions and current home of former Lakewood Ranch High star LaDazhia Williams.

“Whoa, I’m actually here,” Gordon remembers thinking. “In three years, I’ll be deciding where I want to go to college.”

“She has separated herself from other point guards nationally,” Olson said. “She’s consistent, she makes plays toward the basket and she finishes them. She plays with confidence. Lots of players at her level don’t have a jump shot. Gordon does everything. She’s a dynamo.”

Gordon’s only negative, per Olson, is her height. It’s not much of an issue at Braden River, but rebounds may not come as easily when she moves to the college level. From Gordon’s perspective, it’s not a problem. She can do it all, she said, and she won’t let anyone limit her skill set. She admires Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook for the same reason.

For such a prolific talent, Gordon isn’t selfish, something Braden River coach Kristen Fulmer loves about her team’s leader. Her teammates voted on captaincy before the season and they chose Gordon despite her being a freshman.

Fulmer said that’s a testament not just to Gordon’s ability but her maturity. She is their guide on the court, calling out plays and keeping everyone’s head in the game.

“I’m impressed with her basketball IQ for such a young woman,” Fulmer said. “It’s outstanding. A lot of times with good, young players, they’re good at one thing or another. She’s so well-rounded.”

Her leadership has paid dividends. The Pirates won four games last season. They are 7-2 this season as of Dec. 15, thanks to the play of Gordon, fellow freshman Cheyenne Stubbs and sophomore Julia Rodriguez, a Riverview High transfer. Fulmer called coaching the trio “a blessing.”

Gordon’s multiple skills were on display Dec. 7 against Palmetto High. She finished with 20 points, nine assists, eight rebounds and seven steals in the Pirates’ 77-8 win. Against a one-loss Manatee High team Dec. 12, Gordon had 22 points and eight steals in a 70-41 win.

For her part, Gordon is aware of the praise she’s getting, but thinks little about it.

“I’m me, and what other people think, that’s them,” Gordon said. “I have to worry about getting better.”