Family and basketball: Southlake Carroll’s Jordan sisters taking over high school hoops

Most siblings fight, argue and bicker from time to time. Can you imagine being teammates with three of your siblings?

Southlake Carroll’s Jordan sisters don’t have to imagine it. Milania, Natalia, Gianna and Nadia Jordan share the court as starters and have all played key roles in the Lady Dragon’s undefeated District 4-6A championship run.

Unlike most siblings, however, the Jordan sisters all agreed that they don’t argue much, even in the ultra competitive world of high school basketball.

“If we have each other’s back, then nobody can really stop us,” Gianna said.

Southlake Carroll (28-5) will play North Crowley (20-10) in the bi-district round on Monday at Grand Prairie high school with a 6:30 p.m. tip off.

The Lady Dragons’ togetherness, talent and chemistry have been driving forces in creating a basketball powerhouse. Southlake Carroll is the No. 1 ranked Class 6A team in the Fort Worth-area and the No. 15 ranked Class 6A team in Texas by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.

Head coach Robyn McCourt said the team has “zero locker room drama” and mentioned that is a rarity in high school athletics. She added the team’s elite chemistry starts with the Jordan sisters, who set the tone as the leaders.

“They’re great about having high expectations for each other,” McCourt said. “They hold each other to a high standard because they know what each other are capable of.”

How does the chemistry translate to the court? The Jordan sisters have been playing together their whole lives, and McCourt said they always know where the other sisters are going to be.

“They know when to make a pass and what kind of pass it might be,” McCourt said. “It’s almost like a sixth sense.”

Meet the Jordan sisters

Their father, Walsh Jordan, is a former professional basketball player who played collegiate ball at Ole Miss. He trained prominent NBA players including Marcus Smart and Emmanuel Mudiay, and he also worked with WNBA standout Moriah Jefferson.

The Jordan sisters said their father’s training and support has been the most important component to their success. Although their abilities are somewhat similar, given each Jordan sister is a natural guard, all of them have aspects of their games and personalities that standout.

The eldest of the bunch is Milania, a junior that leads the team in scoring with 18 points per game. Milania scored 30 points in the regular season finale against Keller Fossil Ridge, leading the Lady Dragons to a 71-46 victory.

McCourt said Milania brings leadership and experience, and added she sets the tone for how fast team practices will be.

“She is deadly in transition,’ McCourt said of Milania’s game. “She spreads the floor incredibly well. She finishes her layups in transition unlike anybody I’ve ever seen. Shots that you’re like ‘there’s no way she can make that’, and she finds a way to make it.”

Walsh said the foundation of Milania’s personality is her faith and a “love for Jesus Christ.”

“She loves God,” Walsh said. “She’s a great person with a great heart.”

The next leading scorer is Gianna, who averages 15 points per game. She leads Southlake Carroll with 3.4 steals and 4.2 assists per game, playing the role of the scrappy defender who also does everything else extremely well.

“Gianna has a high basketball IQ,” McCourt said. “Really quick on defense. A good slasher to the rim. She has a good inside out combination game of getting to the rim and shooting outside. She is very high tempo.”

The sisters’ mother, Tierny Jordan, is a Dallas-Fort Worth real estate broker. Tierny said Gianna almost died because her lungs did not open when she was born.

“Gigi is a fighter,” Tierny said. “She is quiet. She observes everything. She is a perfectionist. She is going to be the best at everything she does because she takes the time to watch and learn.”

Natalia, also a sophomore, averages 10 points. She leads the squad with six rebounds per game, has the most chargers drawn and is a defensive pest, according to McCourt.

McCourt added that Natalia does “all the the nitty gritty details” and plays a forward-like role, even though she has the size of a guard. Her positioning isn’t ideal, but Natalia is willing to step into the needed role for the team.

“I call her the leader of the bunch,” Tierny said. “She is the boss lady. She is very organized. She has everything together. She is the first one ready and is always waiting on everyone. If I need something done I can count on her.”

The youngest of the group is Nadia, a 14 year old freshman starting on varsity. She averages 7 points, three assists and 2.2 steals per game. McCourt said that Nadia is “absolutely fearless” and is the most feisty on the team.

“She doesn’t care that anybody’s older, which is the reason she is successful as a 14-year-old guarding 18-year-olds because she’s not going to back down,” McCourt said.

Walsh said Nadia is always looking to prove herself and showcase her game as the youngest. Tierny added that Nadia is very energetic “people person” and has an “infectious smile.”

“She loves people,” Tierny said. “She cares about everyone. She went and bought all of her sisters Valentines gifts.”

The Jordan sisters’ abilities are legendary in the high school basketball community, and the combined 50 points per game is proof of that. Controlling egos, however, hasn’t been an issue for the Lady Dragons. To McCourt, the sisters’ impact on the program goes far beyond the stats, wins and highlights.

“They’re amazing on the floor, but they’re awesome individuals in the locker room, which nobody gets to see,” McCourt said. “They’re humble. They love their teammates.”

Walsh said he knew his daughters would succeed, given the hard work they put in. He said the foundation of their training and development is a willingness to go the extra mile and “keeping God first.”

“I’m a a believer in Jesus Christ, and I feel if you put the work in God will handle the rest,” Walsh said.

Gianna said they’ve always known their own abilities and are very used to playing as a unit. Now, the entire high school basketball community knows their talents, which puts a target on their back.

“We’ve always been around each other on the basketball court and off it,” Gianna said. “I know they are dogs. I’m a dog. So we’re gonna go out there and compete every time.”

The expectation: Compete for a state championship

One of Southlake Carroll girls basketball’s goals was to become undefeated district champions. With that goal checked off the list, the team’s attention is turning to the playoffs.

McCourt said the Lady Dragons will need maintain focus and remember their goals while keeping the same expectations they’ve had for themselves all season long.

“Just keep taking it one day at a time,” McCourt said. “We’re big on preparation. I feel like preparation is when success meets opportunity, and failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”

Southlake Carroll will focus on paying attention to the details and “doing simple things with elite consistency.” Everyone in the program knows they have what it takes to compete with any team in Texas high school basketball if they stay level headed.

“We need to get to state,” McCourt said. “We need to win state. Everyone wants to do that. I think its a realistic goal for this group.”

The Jordan sisters agreed that competing for a state title is the team’s expectation. Although the final outcome is up in the air, one thing is certain to Natalia: the team will give 100% effort in every game.

“Everybody on our team, we all love each other,” Natalia said. “We have a really good bond, so it makes it easier to go out and play.”