Germantown Friends Junior Jordan Dill Makes History as All-Time leading Scorer. ( Photo/ Lennie Malmgren)
BY JOSH ABRAMS
(Photos by Lenne Malmgren for PSD)
Philadelphia, PA - On a cold and brisk Wednesday night across the Delaware Valley, family, friends and alumni of Germantown Friends School (GFS) packed Scattergood Gymnasium, as the Tigers played host to Shipley School in a Friends School League showdown.
Usually a regular season game in the late stages of January does not hold too much weight. But for this game however, those in attendance got to witness history.
With under 30 seconds showing in the first half, GFS junior guard Jordan Dill connected on a three pointer to put his team up 35-22. More significantly, the bucket placed him atop the program's All-Time career scoring list at 2,023 points, surpassing 1990 graduate and former Villanova guard Jonathan Haynes. The 5'10" lefty finished with 24 points (stands at 2,036 currently), leading GFS to a 71-59 win over the visiting Gators.
"It was a really special night for our program! We want to celebrate all types of milestones for our athletes- college commitments, records on the track, goals scored- but a 35-year record is something to really take pause and realize that many student-athletes have tried to break this record and only Jordan has been able to do it. It was a fun night for GFS!" said Germantown Friends School athletic director Katie Bergstrom Mark.
Haynes was there to personally congratulate Dill.
"It was so fitting to have Jonathan hand Jordan the reigns and the responsibility of being the new all time leading scorer. Jordan is now the "caretaker" of the record. He has a responsibility to be the best version of himself, as he continues to set more GFS records," said Bergstrom Mark.
In a moment of reflection alongside his little brother Isaiah and his parents, Dill couldn't help but give all the credit in the world to the people standing next to him for helping him achieve something extraordinary.
"I just want to thank my family, for everything they put me through," said Dill. "I'll never forget those moments, when nobody knew my name, I was just in the gym every day just putting in the work."
As one can expect for anyone trying to break a record standing strong for 35 years, a little jitters got to Dill in the beginning of the contest. But Dill managed to stay focused and have a positive impact as he scored or assisted GFS' first 10 points.
The fast start proved to be the difference in the contest; GFS led 18-6 through eight minutes and took a 38-24 lead into halftime. Shipley's offense found its groove in the second half. They came out firing in the third quarter and recorded 20 points. But Dill and company assured their faithful crowd that there would be more than just one occasion to celebrate.
GFS head coach Jamil Pines, who recently took over the reigns last season, expressed gratitude while soaking in what he just witnessed on the court.
"I was telling some folks earlier that this was more special than I could have even imagined," said the 2015 GFS graduate.
"Being able to see somebody - a kid like that - achieve something so incredible, I never thought it would be broken... to be able to say I coached a 2,000 point scorer (and) an all-time leading scorer for GFS. That was not something I thought about going into head coaching but it's something that I take pride in," said Pines.
Pines certainly was not the only alum who lauded Dill's accomplishment.
GFS standout Jonathan Haynes, who held the record prior to Dill and led the Tigers to the 1989 league championship title, was also in attendance to see Dill make history. The 1990 graduate and former player of late-great Villanova head coach Rollie Massimino was all smiles once the record was broken.
"Great accomplishment for (Jordan) and his family. I'm so proud of Jordan, I'm proud of GFS Basketball. It's good to come back home, and I'm just excited for him and his family," said Haynes during a halftime discussion. "It couldn't have happened to a better person, I'm happy for him."
Bergstrom Mark shared that sentiment and emphasized Dill's character.
"It has been so much fun to watch Jordan develop as a leader, as a player, and also as a student on our campus! He has a resiliency that is rare to see in a student-athlete no matter where they go to school or what sport they play. He has the drive to get in the gym when no one else is looking and does not need external recognition to motivate him, he wants to work on the next area of his game to improve and does not settle for where he is right now. I am excited to see what steps he takes next in his career," said Bergstrom Mark.
With all eyes on Dill, the junior standout continued to emphasize the impact and motivation that other people have on him to keep doing what he has been doing for this program for the last two-plus years.
"The biggest thing is being a role model for my little brother," said Dill. "Of course I do it for me, but I'm not doing it just for myself anymore."
There is no doubt that this night will live on forever in the history of Germantown Friends School, especially for those who witnessed the unprecedented moment with their own eyes.
GFS continues to grow as a leader in the Friends School League. And the future is definitely looking bright for this team. The oldest players on the roster are juniors, including Dill, who Pines is looking forward to continuing to nurture and grow with over the next year and beyond.
"I'm appreciative of being able to coach Jordan, to be his mentor, be in his life and lead him in ways that I know best," said Pines.
Bergstrom Mark definitely knows the positive impact Dill and Haynes has had on the GFS community.
"We believe that GFS can be an impactful landing spot for any student-athlete that wants the best of both worlds- academics and high level athletics. In the high school landscape when players can end up at three high schools in a career, we are proud that Jordan and his family have put their trust in our institution and have stuck out some hard times," said Bergstrom Mark.
No doubt, Dill will continue to have a positive impact at Germantown Friends School and beyond.