Saints comfortable with Mackenzie Gordos behind the wheel

By Jason Guarente — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent

The best compliment given to Mackenzie Gordos wasn’t anything anyone said last season. It was being tossed the keys to the car. Not just any car. Berks County girls basketball’s equivalent of a Maserati.

Berks Catholic was loaded. The Saints were ready to go places. They believed Gordos could take them there.

The senior spent two seasons watching Sophie Emkey run the show. She spent time in eighth grade clinging to the side of Abby Gaffney. Those are the terrific point guards of Berks Catholic’s recent past. It was Gordos’ turn.

“I feel like I was prepared enough,” she said. “I’ve always played basketball since I was little. I’ve played year-round and I’ve played all over the place. I feel like that prepared me for the pressure.”

Berks Catholic finished 19-4 and won its first county championship since 2018 with Gordos behind the wheel. She was right. She was ready.

There’s a different feel about this season. Gordos is no longer the newcomer easing into her varsity responsibilities. It’s her team now and that team is the defending champion.

“She had a nice year learning how to do things and learning to be a leader,” BC coach Bob Birmingham said. “That’s what it is. Especially in the system we run. The point guard basically controls everything. She’s got to know where everybody is. She’s got to make the right decisions. She did that a great deal toward the end of the year.”

When Gordos showed up for a workout the year before she entered high school, she knew Gaffney was the player to follow. She knew that was the position she was eventually going to fill.

Gordos is a natural point guard. From her skills handling the ball to her mentality when it’s in her hands. Some players are just born to run the offense. Birmingham said Gordos is starting to play like Gaffney, which might be the biggest compliment of all. 

“With most people the main thing that makes them happy is being the top scorer or making that shot,” Gordos said. “For me it’s seeing the little things. The passes. I love pushing it up the court so much. That’s what makes me happy. Not being the main scorer or anything like that.”

Gordos understood her good fortune. She saw the talent around her. A pass to Caraline Herb on the wing turned into three points. A connection to Caroline Reedy turned into two. There were All-Berks players alongside Gordos and she took advantage.

Those Berks Catholic teammates believed in their new point guard. They’d practiced with her for years. She earned their approval.

“It was a really smooth transition,” Reedy said. “We’ve been playing together a whole lot. I knew her ability. Even before last year, when we would practice she was a threat to us. We knew how to play with her already.”

Gordos made progress along the way. The first time she faced Gov. Mifflin the Mustangs basically dared her to shoot. She missed every attempt. The second time she punished her Berks I rival with a season-high four 3-pointers.

The pieces are in place for another Berks Catholic playoff run. Herb and Reedy are back. Aaliyah Dabney is stepping into the starting lineup. There’s an infusion of young players ready to contribute.

Gordos is a year wiser and a year better.

“The way I coach, the point guard and I usually get pretty close,” Birmingham said. “I tell them everything. Every foul shot they’re over talking to me. We have to have a good rapport.”

From Gaffney to Emkey to Gordos, Berks Catholic has been blessed. Gordos appreciates the responsibility she was handed by her coach.

“He really puts so much trust in me,” she said. “He told me, ‘This is your court, your team. Don’t overthink it and just go with it.’”

Gordos responded by taking Berks Catholic back to the top.