It didn’t take long for Lawrence High School graduate Jordan Glover to feel at home on the basketball court at The College of New Jersey. The Lawrence connections are strong, with fellow former Cardinals Nate and Bobby Brackett also part of the TCNJ program, as well as former longtime LHS coach Pat Tarrant, who is now an assistant with the Lions.
“It’s crazy how we’re all here,” Glover said. “It feels like the old high school practices we used to have. Everyone knows each other; we all feel like family. It’s great being with these guys. Nick has always been like a brother to me and Bobby always gives me confidence every single day in practice. It’s great.”
Glover, a 2014 LHS graduate, transferred to TCNJ after sitting out last season as a redshirt freshman at Division II Post University in Connecticut. He helped lead the Lions to a New Jersey Athletic Conference postseason berth this year, averaging 11 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. His scoring ranked third on the team and rebounding ranked second.
First-year TCNJ men’s basketball coach Matt Goldsmith was uncertain of what to expect from Glover when the season began, but the 6-foot-5 forward won him over quickly.
“I didn’t know exactly what he was capable of,” said Goldsmith, who won Division III championships both as a player and an assistant coach at Amherst College. “I knew he could shoot a little bit and I knew he had great athleticism. “But our first game out, Jordan struggled. He hadn’t played in a live game for two years, since his senior year at Lawrence. The next game, though, he had a day. He scored 18 points and had 14 rebounds and just did some great stuff for us. That’s the moment when we were like, wow, he could be something special.”
Glover laughed when reminded of his seasonal debut.
“I just had to get myself settled back in again,” Glover said. “I take every game as a challenge. Not only a challenge, every game is different. You put the last one behind you and you just move forward. At the end of the day, the game of basketball is fun to me. I don’t really look back on the bad games that I have.”
In February, Glover was named the NJAC’s Rookie of the Week after scoring 21 points in the Lions’ 105-95 upset of Ramapo in the opening round of the conference tournament. Glover scored all his points on three-pointers, connecting on seven of eight attempts.
One game earlier, Glover scored 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the floor in a 66-65 victory over Kean that propelled TCNJ into the postseason.
“I didn’t expect to be this much of a contributor,” Glover said. “I just wanted to come in and learn the offense and get along with the guys and be more of a role player. But Coach has put a lot on my shoulders and I’m just loving every minute of college basketball so far.”
Glover’s February heroics were nothing new. In January, he scored four late points to help lift the Lions to a 76-74 road win over New Jersey City University. It was NJCU’s first conference loss of the season.
“He’s stepped up in big circumstances more than once this year,” Goldsmith said. “He’s done a great job of buying into what we’re telling him and stepping right into a big role. He’s still young. I think the sky is the limit for him as he continues to learn more and understand the game a little bit better. His work ethic is impressive. He’s the classic gym rat. His shooting ability is a direct result of his hard work. He comes in with a smile, gives great energy and he works really hard.”
Glover’s emergence for TCNJ was much welcomed because the Lions were without the services of Bobby Brackett, who was sidelined for the entire campaign by an injury. Last season, Brackett averaged 12.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game on his way to second-team all-star honors in the NJAC.
Although Brackett was unable to play this season, he remained an important contributor.
“He’s been in this funny role where is like half teammate and half manager/coach,” Goldsmith said. “He’s a Division III basketball junkie. He’s been a really nice bridge between the coaching staff and the players. He’s been a good leader, even with the injury.”
Nick Brackett, who came off the bench to score 19 points and grab 24 rebounds in 22 games, was the only senior TCNJ’s roster, so the Lions look to be loaded for the future.
As for Glover’s future with them, he hopes to continue to improve with the hopes of playing professionally after graduation.
“I just have to work hard and take every opportunity that I have,” said Glover, who is majoring in health and exercise science. “I just want to be consistent, in the classroom and on the court, and humble. That’s my main goal. I feel I haven’t reached my prime yet. I want to do a lot more. I just want to keep moving forward, that’s all.”
Jordan Glover dribbles past two William Paterson opponents during a game this season.,
