Derrick Gordon’s play shows he’s more than just a trailblazer
By Zach Braziller
January 19, 2016 | 10:47pm
Derrick Gordon Photo: Bill Kostroun
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Seton Hall’s offseason addition of UMass transfer Derrick Gordon made headlines more because of his sexual orientation as college basketball’s only openly gay men’s basketball player than his ability on the court.
But two months into what has been an impressive season for the Pirates, Gordon’s play has trumped his sexual preference, serving as the glue to Seton Hall’s sophomore-heavy team. It was Gordon who called a team-only meeting after an ugly home loss to Creighton, and Gordon who came up huge in Saturday’s 81-72 upset of then No. 12 Providence.
“Me being the only upperclassman with a lot of experience, my job is to bring everybody together,” the 6-foot-3 Gordon said in a phone interview in advance of Wednesday’s showdown with No. 4 Villanova at the Prudential Center in Newark (9 p.m., CBSSN, WNYM 970 AM). “It was more making sure everybody was on the same page.
“I was at UMass when we lost a few games, people started going their own way. I didn’t want that to happen for this team.”
Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard’s decision to start Gordon, his best perimeter defender, worked out perfectly. Gordon not only helped contain National Player of the Year candidate Kris Dunn — the junior had 16 points and just two assists, his fewest of the season — but Gordon also contributed 15 points and seven rebounds. And usual starter, sophomore guard Khadeen Carrington, brought energy off the bench, scoring a season-high 22 points and making 12 of 12 free throws.
The Providence win was just the first third of a daunting three-game stretch that includes Wednesday night’s contest with Villanova and Saturday’s trip to Cincinnati to face No. 5 Xavier. One win out of the next two likely would land the Pirates (13-4, 3-2 Big East) in the Top 25 for the first time this year, not to mention bolstering their already impressive résumé that already includes five wins over top 100 RIP opponents.
“When we’re all on the same page, we’re a tough team to stop,” said Gordon, a Plainfield, N.J., native. “When we’re all clicking, I believe we’re up there with the best. That’s what makes this team great.”
Though the Wildcats have owned the Big East since the formation of the new league, going 41-5 and winning back-to-back regular-seasons crowns, Seton Hall has enjoyed some success against Villanova, beating them in the Big East Tournament in 2014, and knocking them off in Newark last January.
In the first meeting this season, a 72-63 Villanova victory in Philadelphia on Jan. 6, the Pirates played Jay Wright’s team tough, despite shooting just 35 percent from the field and getting a combined 11 points on 1-of-11 shooting from starters Angel Delgado and Desi Rodriguez.
“We definitely know what we have in front of us, we definitely know what it means,” Gordon said. “I believe we match up well with [Villanova]. We’re going to have home-court advantage and we have to want it.”
By Zach Braziller
January 19, 2016 | 10:47pm
Derrick Gordon Photo: Bill Kostroun
MORE ON:
seton hall pirates
How Seton Hall earned an NCAA tourney résumé-building win
Seton Hall's best sit and watch Pirates' home prowess melt away
Seton Hall battles but falls short against No. 11 Villanova
Seton Hall may bench breakout star for toughest Big East test
Seton Hall’s offseason addition of UMass transfer Derrick Gordon made headlines more because of his sexual orientation as college basketball’s only openly gay men’s basketball player than his ability on the court.
But two months into what has been an impressive season for the Pirates, Gordon’s play has trumped his sexual preference, serving as the glue to Seton Hall’s sophomore-heavy team. It was Gordon who called a team-only meeting after an ugly home loss to Creighton, and Gordon who came up huge in Saturday’s 81-72 upset of then No. 12 Providence.
“Me being the only upperclassman with a lot of experience, my job is to bring everybody together,” the 6-foot-3 Gordon said in a phone interview in advance of Wednesday’s showdown with No. 4 Villanova at the Prudential Center in Newark (9 p.m., CBSSN, WNYM 970 AM). “It was more making sure everybody was on the same page.
“I was at UMass when we lost a few games, people started going their own way. I didn’t want that to happen for this team.”
Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard’s decision to start Gordon, his best perimeter defender, worked out perfectly. Gordon not only helped contain National Player of the Year candidate Kris Dunn — the junior had 16 points and just two assists, his fewest of the season — but Gordon also contributed 15 points and seven rebounds. And usual starter, sophomore guard Khadeen Carrington, brought energy off the bench, scoring a season-high 22 points and making 12 of 12 free throws.
The Providence win was just the first third of a daunting three-game stretch that includes Wednesday night’s contest with Villanova and Saturday’s trip to Cincinnati to face No. 5 Xavier. One win out of the next two likely would land the Pirates (13-4, 3-2 Big East) in the Top 25 for the first time this year, not to mention bolstering their already impressive résumé that already includes five wins over top 100 RIP opponents.
“When we’re all on the same page, we’re a tough team to stop,” said Gordon, a Plainfield, N.J., native. “When we’re all clicking, I believe we’re up there with the best. That’s what makes this team great.”
Though the Wildcats have owned the Big East since the formation of the new league, going 41-5 and winning back-to-back regular-seasons crowns, Seton Hall has enjoyed some success against Villanova, beating them in the Big East Tournament in 2014, and knocking them off in Newark last January.
In the first meeting this season, a 72-63 Villanova victory in Philadelphia on Jan. 6, the Pirates played Jay Wright’s team tough, despite shooting just 35 percent from the field and getting a combined 11 points on 1-of-11 shooting from starters Angel Delgado and Desi Rodriguez.
“We definitely know what we have in front of us, we definitely know what it means,” Gordon said. “I believe we match up well with [Villanova]. We’re going to have home-court advantage and we have to want it.”
Derrick Gordon @flash2gordon 
