BROWNSBURG, Ind. — Sectional play begins this week for girls high school basketball in Indiana.
The Brownsburg Bulldogs are looking to win back-to-back sectional titles — and more. To do so, they're leaning on the Bulldogs' star player, Avery Gordon, who is one of, if not the best, girls basketball players in the area.
"I fell in love with it because it gave me a chance to use my height in a different way. It wasn't something that set me apart, it helped me a lot," Gordon said.
Gordon loves basketball — and at 6-foot, 5-inches tall, she's pretty good at it, too. She's averaging 21 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game this season.
Her head coach, Debbie Smiley, said it's deeper than what you see on the court.
"Well, she's extremely humble, I think. She's so coachable, a great kid, she just wants to get better. Just really well liked by her teammates, coaching staff, teaching staff. She's a great student, as you can imagine," Smiley said.
Moments like a recent overtime game against Westfield have gained national attention. Gordon hit the game-winner at the buzzer.
"It was really exciting. That's something you never really forget. That feeling of winning the game. What made it 100 times better was not just making it, but your teammates swarming you," Gordon said.
That capped off a 41-point outing for Gordon — performances the Bulldog faithful has grown accustomed to.
After Gordon's freshman year, Stanford University reached out, and the schools haven't stopped calling.
"It was steady after that. Her entire summer before her entire sophomore year, it's just one college after the other," Smiley said. "All big schools were expressing interest."
Now a junior, Gordon is a top-50 recruit in the nation, according to ESPN. She's committed to Purdue University, wanting to stay close to home and continue getting better.
"It's truly a blessing. It's still mind-blowing. One of those things you dream of as a kid. But when it actually happens, I'm so grateful for this opportunity to play," Gordon said.
Winners of four straight heading into the state tournament, Gordon and the Bulldogs look to make a deep run, starting with the sectional opener against Avon Tuesday night.