Dec. 6, 2001

Stony Brook, N.Y. - By Mark LaMonica - Newsday

Georgia is definitely on her mind.

And on the minds of family and friends as Stony Brook sophomore Sherry Jordan returns home for this weekend's Georgia State basketball tournament in Atlanta.

This game, however, will be a bit different than the last time she played at GSU Sports Arena. Jordan, from Stone Mountain, Ga., was a high-schooler shining for her AAU team, the Dream Team. That night, she drew the oohs and aahs of the Georgia State players.

Should that look of amazement come from Georgia State players again this weekend, and there's little reason it shouldn't, it will mean something entirely different. Jordan is no longer a pregame display of talent. She's an opponent. SBU plays Georgia State in the first round tomorrow at 4 p.m., and plays either Hampton or Alabama State on Saturday.

"I'm happy but it's like a tease," said Jordan, who has spent a total of two weeks at home since coming to Stony Brook last fall. "I don't get to stay."

Her opponents may be happy that Jordan will be in town for only a weekend. Jordan returns home as SBU's leading scorer, averaging 16.8 points, to go with 8.3 rebounds and 3.5 steals. Jordan also is coming off back-to-back double-doubles as she earned MVP honors in last weekend's Holiday Inn Express tournament at Stony Brook.

The soft-spoken scorer said playing in her hometown, in front of her family and her Clarkston High coach, Royce Toombs, will not create additional pressure. Besides, her family has seen her play before, most recently at the Holiday Inn tournament.

SBU coach Trish Roberts serves several purposes by entering this tournament. It features a higher level of competition as SBU (3-3) prepares for its first season in the America East. It's also a homecoming for Roberts, who was born in Monroe, Ga., and coached the Atlanta Glory of the now-defunct American Basketball League. Silver Shellman, an assistant, also is from Monroe, and freshman Danyelle Ingram is from Atlanta.

"When we recruit someone from out of state, we like to take them back and let them play in front of their home crowd," said Roberts, whose six brothers and sisters will attend the game. "We want to go and not forget why we're going."

It's not just a weekend road trip, with some sightseeing and a possible stopover at Jordan's house for a home-cooked meal. There are basketball games to be played, and perhaps won.