Teicher a versatile performer on and off the court
By David Gurney, Sports Writer
Enter 6-foot-5-inch senior forward Jordan Teicher.
Second-leading scorer on the team, one of the top rebounders and lethal behind-the-arc.
He’s also an editor for the school newspaper, The Viking Vibe, a member of The Dead President’s Society at South Brunswick High School, where they talk American history, and a member of HiTOPS, a group at SBHS that talks to teenagers about sexual issues.
By the way, did we forget to mention that he’s also a filmmaker in his spare time, filming a documentary on the history of South Brunswick for The Dead President’s Society Ball, and a creative writer who wrote a suspense/thriller short story very recently.
Talk about versatility, and not just on the basketball court.
”Sports were never the only thing, I’ve always had other interests,” Teicher said. “I’m into writing, like in journalism, and short stories. I’m into making movies and short films, I like history, that’s why I’m a part of The Dead Presidents Society. My father always focused more on academics than athletics and so did my mom. At an early age, I got it into my head, I’m not going to the NBA so I should also get into other stuff, get other interests.”
Teicher leads a well-rounded life, a well-roundedness that will take him to Tufts University next fall. And that semester will, most likely, revolve around academics and not athletics. Maybe there will be some intramurals.
Yet, for now, one of Teicher’s focuses is leading the SB boys basketball team on the court, a team that currently stands at 7-5 overall, 4-3 in the Red Division (excluding Tuesday night’s game against Perth Amboy).
Most recently, the Vikings defeated Franklin last Saturday, 60-53, guided by Teicher’s team-leading 16 points. He hit a pair of three-pointers and connected on all six free throw attempts, most of those down the stretch in what was a close game the entire way.
”He played well, did a little bit of everything for us,” first-year head coach Joe Hoehman said. “He got himself to the line late and he’s usually the guy we want to send to the line. It was just a pretty good all-around game for him.”
All-around, well-rounded, versatile, that seems to be Teicher’s calling card.
Quick and long enough to guard perimeter players, tall and physical enough to be a force inside, Teicher provides Hoehman with a lot of options defensively.
”With the lineup we have, it’s important for him to be able to guard a perimeter player,” said Hoehman, who has coached Teicher all four years, from the Freshman team to the JV and Varsity squads. “We didn’t know if he had the foot speed. But with his length, he’s able to give opponents a step and still cut them off and contest the shot.”
Not only can he hold his own defensively, but Teicher has the ability to play inside on the block, and also hit the three-pointer. And with senior guard Arman Wilson getting more defensive attention by the game, it remains important that Teicher be a reliable scorer to support the offense. Especially when it seems that when he struggles (two points against J.P. Stevens, two against Piscataway, five against Red Bank, six against Cardinal McCarrick — all losses), the team also struggles.
”I’d like to be a little more consistent, be around the double-digit point mark more often,” said Teicher, who has played basketball since he was six and organized basketball since fifth grade and, at every level, the tallest in his grade. “I know I have to hit shots, as well as other guys, otherwise we’re going to struggle to score and lose, like we did against J.P. Stevens, Piscataway and those teams. Our team is solid, but on offense we struggle at times.
”Everyone has to find a role. If I have to pick up the load offensively, I’ll gladly do it.”
Teicher, like fellow senior starters Troy Confessore, Sean Lease, and senior reserve forward Chris Weir, were reserves on last year’s historic 27-3 team that went to the NJSIAA Group IV finals before losing to Linden.
That season was a mixed bag for Teicher, but ultimately an important learning experience.
”It was definitely frustrating, not getting in until the games were complete blowouts,” Teicher said. “But it was also a learning experience, practicing against those guys every day. It made all of us better players. And getting to the finals last year, it just drives our team this year, wanting to get back there.”
If they do get back there, it sure would make for a great documentary.