By BEAU WICKER
Winamac standout Jordan Brandt has been a key part of successful teams throughout her varsity career.
The four-year starting point guard has been a part of two sectional championship teams (’07,’09) and two Midwest Conference championship teams (’08, ’09).
She thinks the current Warriors team that is 5-3 heading into tonight’s key MWC tilt against Pioneer has the potential to reach those heights.
“I think so,” she said. “We’ve played good as a team overall, but we just haven’t played our best game yet. So hopefully it’ll come.”
Brandt is averaging 12.6 points, 3 assists, 2 steals and 4 rebounds per game her senior season. Last year she set Winamac’s single-season assists record, and coach Jim Swaney said there’s a good chance Brandt will set the school’s all-time assists mark later this season.
“She’s a really good passer,” Swaney said. “She sees the floor really, really well and handles the ball extremely well. … She helps her teammates become better.
“Sometimes passing is more dangerous to teams than shooting — it gets other kids opportunities to get involved in the offense. And the last two games she’s scored a lot more for us. That’s something I think she needs to do. We tell her to shoot more because we need her to score more for us.”
One area Brandt has particularly stepped it up this year is getting to the foul line. Last season she got to the line just 28 times, while this season she has already gotten there 40 times and has made 33 of them (83 percent).
“We’ve set a goal for her to get to the free-throw line 100 times, and she’s on pace to do that,” Swaney said.
Brandt is also an effective 3-point shooter, and she’s hit 30 percent from 3-point land this season.
The following is a question-and-answer session with Brandt.
Q. How did you first get started into sports? At what age?
A. My dad [Jeff] got me into sports. I started at age 6 and have been playing ever since.
Q. Do you have any family members who played sports?
A. My mom [Tammy] played volleyball at Culver and my dad played basketball at Culver as well.
Q. Have you ever played a sport that you were not successful at?
A. Well, my sister Cortney Brandt played softball at Winamac and I would play with her, but I was afraid to get hit by her throws.
Q. What kind of person would your teammates say you are?
A. Funny.
Q. Who do you try to emulate in your life?
A. My dad. He is a very hard worker and never gives up on anything in life.
Q. What experiences have you had in sports have made you the athlete you are today?
A. I have played AAU basketball since I was 10. I have been playing with the top athletes in Indiana. Also traveling around the country for AAU helps out a lot.
Q. What is something that not everyone knows about you?
A. That I’m afraid of the dark. I really can’t walk outside during the nighttime unless I have my dog next to me.
Q. What is your favorite memory of playing sports at your school?
A. I love all my teammates and how we are all one big family. I will never forget that about them.
Q. What’s your favorite musical artist, movie, TV show, etc.?
A. Musical artist: Jason Aldean. Song: She’s Country. Movie: Coach Carter. TV show: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Book: Night. Team: Purdue. Athlete: Dwyane Wade.
Q. What are your future plans after high school?
A. I want to play college basketball still and major in elementary education.
• Next week an outstanding athlete from Caston will be featured.
