Versatile Jordan

By JOHN ENRIETTO Eagle Sports Editor

November 25, 2005 Last Updated: November 25, 2005 12:59 PM High School

Shoop getting ready for final act

SAXONBURG — He made consecutive appearances in the WPIAL playoffs as a quarterback and a point guard, leading his team to the WPIAL basketball finals as a sophomore.

Simply put, Knoch's Jordan Shoop is a winner.

The senior point guard enters his final high school basketball season primed to put the icing on the cake.

"We want to get to the Palumbo Center," he said. "And we're good enough to get there."

He should know. Shoop makes his teams good enough to do a lot of things.

As one of few returning starters this fall, Shoop guided the Knights into the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs, defeating Indiana and staying within a point of Pine-Richland in the season finale.

"I liked the situation we had this year," he said of the football team. "I was in position to take on a leadership role and a lot of younger kids stepped up.

"It was fun. Now we have the same type of situation in basketball."

So it goes for Shoop, who has proven to be one of Knoch's more versatile athletes in recent years.

"He played wherever we needed him," Knoch football coach Mike King said. "We used him at free safety, strong safety, cornerback. He played wide receiver his sophomore year because we needed him there — and he led the team in receiving.

"He's a tough quarterback, a big playmaker — the kid just makes plays."

Shoop figured prominently in all three Knoch football wins this season. He ran 36 yards for the game-winning score, then intercepted a pass to preserve a 14-7 win over Freeport.

He orchestrated a 10-play, 90-yard drive in the final two minutes for a 13-12 win over Highlands, scoring the winning touchdown on a 2-yard run with 40 seconds left. He rushed for three touchdowns — from 52, 18 and 4 yards out — in a 27-7 win over Indiana.

In the 35-34 loss to Pine-Richland that got Knoch into the playoffs, Shoop threw for 228 yards and three touchdowns.

"Jordan is so unassuming and down to earth," King said. "That's uncommon among kids who have experienced the kind of success in athletics that he has."

Now he'll be of great benefit to his father — veteran Knoch basketball coach Les Shoop — as his point guard for the third straight year.

"Jordan knows everything we do out there," Coach Shoop said. "No question, he's another coach on the floor. He grew up around the game."

Father and son are both chasing milestones this season. Coach Shoop needs five wins for 500 in his coaching career, 17 wins to reach 300 in 24 years at Knoch.

Jordan Shoop needs 117 points for 1,000 in his career. He needs 23 3-pointers to reach 100. Jordan is the third of three brothers to be coached by their father, following Aaron and current Knoch athletic director Josh Shoop.

"They've all been pretty good players," Coach Shoop said. "Josh was dominant in the post. Aaron was 6-foot-1 and was a forward-guard.

"Jordan can do a lot of the things on the floor. He may be the most versatile."

Carrying a grade point average above 3.0, Jordan Shoop has been receiving plenty of college interest. He wants to play football and top contenders for his services include Army, Navy, Delaware, Slippery Rock, New Hampshire and Towson State.

Akron and a few other Mid-American Conference schools also have expressed interest.

"I think Jordan can play at any level he wants to, really," King said. "I'm familiar with the type of athlete it takes to play at Pitt or West Virginia, and Jordan can play with those guys.

"Size of school doesn't matter to him. He just wants to play."

He might even want to play both sports.

"Slippery Rock is the only school I'd consider doing that," Jordan Shoop said. "It'd be a challenge and that'd be the only place it'd be feasible."

"I wouldn't be crazy about it," Coach Shoop said of his son playing both sports. "It's tough enough trying to play one sport in college.

"But Jordan knows what he can handle. I trust him that way."