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New voice of the Buccaneers

By Steve Lee
Published December 28, 2006

NEW PORT RICHEY - A dual-sport star at Seven Springs Middle, Jordan Schulman had to decide on basketball or soccer once she got to Gulf.

In her third season since choosing basketball, Schulman has no regrets.

"When it came down to choosing in high school, I just fell in love with basketball more," said Shulman, a junior guard who has a team-high 13.6 scoring average.

Her cousin Katie Schulman, a defender for Gulf's soccer team and former teammate as the two came up through the West Pasco youth program, would have preferred a different choice.

"She's mad I didn't play soccer and I'm mad she didn't play basketball," Jordan Schulman said of her cousin, who also played basketball at Seven Springs.

Schulman's emergence from a role player who came off the bench last season to bust up opposing zone defenses with her long-range shooting is a welcome development in the wake of former standout Dominique English's transfer to Orlando Bishop Moore.

"She has taken over as our team leader," said Schulman's father, Paul, who played basketball at Gulf Class of 1988 and now helps coach his daughter's team as an assistant.

"She learned from the best, from Tiara."

Tiara Cook, a 2006 Gulf graduate, was an all-state center who helped the Bucs win district and conference titles in each of the past two seasons.

"I like being able to show the younger kids how it's done and what I've learned," Schulman said. "I had the privilege of learning from great players."

"It's a new year for Jordan and it's a different aspect," Gulf coach Mike Quarto said. "She's having to be more of a leader."

Off the court as well, Quarto noted, adding Schulman organized a team Christmas party and is outspoken at team meetings.

Schulman's emergence has not been without it's growing pains.

While she is the Bucs' scoring leader, she has had some ups and downs on an inconsistent 4-6 team.

Schulman scored a career-high 22 points in a win over Springstead, but had just five in a loss to Zephyrhills. And she is shooting 3-pointers at a 30 percent clip while averaging 2.4 steals.

"Her defensive intensity picks up when she has a bad shooting game," Quarto said. "She gets it back on the defensive end. She leads our team in floor burns."

Steve Lee can be reached at lee@sptimes.com or (352) 521-6517.

[Last modified December 27, 2006, 21:27:17]