Bank on Jordan

The Lowdown on Birch Run's Jordan Duby

By Jared Field

2 January 2008

greatlakeshoops.com

Reporters rarely surprise their subjects. The obvious questions tend to come first, followed closely by the really obvious ones.

And so, Birch Run's 6-3 guard, Jordan Duby, knew it was only a matter of time.

“I was ready for that question,” said Duby, who has probably answered more Brad Redford-related questions than anyone outside of Frankenmuth in the past three years. “Brad is a great player; but, his all-round game gets hidden behind his ten 3-pointers a game.”

Surprising, of course, that any part of the Mr. Basketball frontrunner's repertoire could be hidden these days.

Redford, at least since the summer before his junior season, has had in abundance the one thing Duby has lacked: attention.

“It's not my job to compare players,” said Duby, who averages 24 points, six rebounds, six assists and nearly four steals per game. “I just focus on Birch Run and Jordan Duby. I feel that I must have a complete game, scoring, passing, rebounding and, most of all, defense, for our team to have success. I have to continue to put up numbers and perform well each night.

"If I put up numbers like I have, the recognition will come, but that doesn't concern me.”

But, the early returns on Duby are only now starting to trickle in.

A couple huge performances (more on those later) already this season have earned for Duby a pair of “player of the night” awards from the Saginaw News.

No other Saginaw-area player has two.

He is on pace to pass 1,000 points this season for his career and has a chance to set the school record currently held by a former teammate of his father.

By season's end, he may hold school records for career points, points in a season and assists in a season.

Duby was also honored by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan (BCAM) for finishing third in the state last season in free throw shooting percentage--a whopping 89.6 percent.

Duby, for all intents and purposes, has been the one constant in Birch Run for the past three seasons. Put him right there next to the Nike Outlet as a fixture in a village of 1600 permanently besieged by shoppers from all over the Midwest.

Duby's steadying influence has been all too evident after the holy mess of the second half of last season.

“The flame-out came last year after the Bridgeport game,” he said. “Our chemistry fell apart. We were very much contenders, going 13-2, but we had a few players leave the team and, again, the chemistry was beyond repair.”

One of those players was their starting point guard, a senior and an integral part of the team.

Almost a year removed from that debacle, Duby and the Panthers have a 10-point win over Bridgeport under their belts, an undefeated record and a new coach.

“The coaching change has gone well,” said Duby, who admits to having no idea about what went down with his former coach, Rick Weigel. “The players are responding to Coach (Perry) McCord and we are playing together. He brings a defensive mentality to the game. It's all about hustle and making the right play.”

Bring on ‘Muth

The circled calendar adage doesn’t seem to apply in the TVC, where small town rivalries and those subtle reminders that come with them are abundant. This is especially true with respect to Birch Run and Frankenmuth, arguably the conference's most-heated rivalry.

January 8^th is burned into the memory banks of each and every player at Birch Run. They know that it’s high time to get a win.  
 

“The Frankenmuth rivalry is always a fun game," he said. "But, right now we are getting ready for Caro, then USA and then 'Muth. Even so, playing against Frankenmuth is what you work all year for.”

A win over the Eagles would be Duby’s first, and a huge step in the right direction for the program.

“I'm 0-7 against them in my high school career, but fall down seven get up eight, right?” said Duby, paying homage to Miami Heat star, Dwayne Wade.

That’s a wrap

In Birch Run’s biggest game of the year so far, the 5-0 Panthers passed a test they hope to never again take.

Duby went down three minutes into the game with a cut over his eye and a separated joint in his shoulder. For Duby, leaving the game for the clinic wasn't an option--even considering the best wishes of his mother.

“That was a great game,” he said. “I got six stitches after the game and had to play with a head wrap for the final three quarters.”

The Panthers managed to control the tempo and the defensive glass; and, of course, were led by their partially mummified do-all guard, who scored 20 points and dished out five assists.

With healthy head and shoulders

Just 11 days prior to the Panthers’ big win over Bridgeport, Duby turned in his best performance of the year in a road win over North Branch.

“(North Branch) ran two or three guys at me after I crossed half court. I was point guard and I just passed over the defense, or drove through and made a pass down to the post for an assist. I didn't shoot much at all that game, mostly free throws and lay-ups with a couple 3-pointers.”

18 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds later, Duby had his first career triple double.

“I’ve been close before,” he said. “But, the rebounds just came to me that game.”

Out with a bang

Duby closed out the 2007 portion of this season with a ridiculous performance in what should have been a big game against another undefeated TVC East foe, Millington.

The Panthers stormed the Cardinals, 79-55, as Duby poured in 35 points with eight assists and seven rebounds.

Opposing coaches know all about his ability to slash to the basket, but so far teams are having little success staying in front of him.

Against Millington Duby went to the line 22 times, cashing in on 19.

Duby, Duby, who?

Every year there are great players in Michigan who, for whatever reason, never get the credit they deserve.

Already playing in relative obscurity in extreme southern Saginaw County, Duby has also played in the long shadow cast by the aforementioned Redford.

As is the case with many three-sport athletes, Duby chose not to devote the bulk of his summers to one sport.

And, with the ever-increasing importance of summer basketball to recruiting, Duby’s absence from that scene certainly had an adverse affect on his status.

“I feel like I have flown under the radar a little, but I was never on a household AAU team and that has a lot to do with it," he said. "Coming into this summer, I just felt that if something was meant to happen then it was going to happen. I committed to football and baseball along with basketball this summer, and I have no regrets about my decisions. But, I feel that I can play with anybody and can compete at a high level.

“You must have the confidence in yourself or else you won't find success.”
 

Crossing over Jordan

Sure, he’s still a little slender. And what about that funky release?

Regardless, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to be critical of any part of Duby’s game. He just flat-out gets it done. He doesn’t lose his cool on the floor and he never gives his defender a second of rest.

“I try to get to the lane and make plays for myself and teammates; that’s what I do best. If you control the paint, you tend to control the game. I like to think I have a decent all-around game. I love making a play and getting a teammate an easy basket because it gets others involved and gives them confidence. I thrive at drawing fouls and converting at the free throw line.”

And he possesses a quiet confidence borne out of competition against some of the state’s best players.
 

“I like to think I can hold my own against some of the premier guards. It's a lot of fun when you get to play against premier players that are going to be playing at Ohio State, Xavier and MSU.”
 

Staying home

In October, Duby decided to make Saginaw County his home for the next four years. He verbally committed to Saginaw Valley State University and its new coach, Frankie Smith.

“They called when he became coach; I went down there and they offered a preferred walk-on without seeing me play, just from word of mouth from area coaches.”

Duby, who hadn’t received any division one interest from in-state schools, had been contacted by Harvard, Centenary, Colgate and Gardner-Webb in addition to SVSU.

“I accepted (the offer) a few weeks later…I decided that SVSU is the school for me, with the academics they offer and the location. It's a division two school close to home, and it gives me a chance to get some early playing time. I will be playing D-II basketball at SVSU and I really couldn't be much happier. I'm just glad I'm getting the opportunity to continue to play ball around here and get a good education."

Jordan’s brother, Kyle, also attends SVSU.

Student of the game has game as student

Sometimes we forget that being a student-athlete isn't easy. The demands on time can be great, for both students and their families.

In the Duby household, however, it's books before basketballs.

As you may have guessed after dropping Harvard up the page, Jordan has excelled in the classroom throughout his high school career.

His overall grade point average is 3.94, good enough for seventh in a class of 159.

"Academics have always come first," he said. "And there is always time to fit homework in with sports."
 

He has also been nominated for the MHSAA's scholar athlete award by his school, and will find out in the near future if he is a finalist for the distinction.

Don't take my word for it

"I've watched Jordan since he was probably ten years old, mostly playing against my two sons, Tyler and Shane. The thing that always impressed me about him was that he was just a great all-around player who simply did not make mistakes. He's a great kid and a great teammate who makes the players around him better. Jordan is very unselfish, and he has always been a winner. I know my kids always struggled to beat the teams he played on.

He comes from a great family; his parents are very supportive and they keep the entire game of basketball in perspective, so he has learned from some great people."--Coach Steve Moreland, Director of Development & Basketball Camps/Clinics for the Detroit Pistons

"A year or two ago, I remember writing something to the effect that I wished Jordan was more selfish. I remember watching him break down player after player for easy shots before deciding to pass it off. Everything about him is deceptive. He is a kid that could scored 20 points any time he wants, and defend almost anybody. He has played the best defense on Redford that I've seen." --Gavin Raath, Great Lakes Hoops

"(Jordan) is a guy who is somewhat outside the mainstream, in terms of AAU exposure, et cetera, and as such is probably better than many know. He's walking on at SVSU, but at our 2006 camp, I had him rated higher among 2008 guard prospects than a number of guys getting scholarships. I like how he can just pile on those points, in creative fashion. Left-handedness makes his shot look a little goofy, but it will be all right." --Steve Bell, Editor of The Bank (bankhoops.com)

"(Jordan) is a great player. He's obviously a great slasher and he knows how to draw contact. I just really liked playing with him. When we were kids we always looked for each other on the court. He trusted me and I trusted him." --Brad Redford, former teammate