Perdue-DelTorchio becomes 13th GHS Basketball player to hit 1,000 points

The Gloucester Field House was packed, the admission was free, and the energy was electric, but all eyes were fixed on one person. In a career defined by grit and a relentless work ethic, senior captain Jordan Perdue-DelTorchio only needed one more signature move to transform from a standout player into a local legend. With the weight of the city behind her, she delivered a moment four years in the making, cementing her place among the greatest to ever wear the Fishermen jersey.

The 1000-point milestone came on the captain’s signature transition layup in the first quarter against North Middlesex, a bucket that sent the home crowd into a frenzy and Perdue-DelTorchio into the history books. She is just the 13th player in school history—and the seventh female player—to reach the mark.

Reaching quadruple digits was the result of a steady, four-year climb that began when she joined the varsity ranks as a freshman. After scoring 99 points in her debut season, she followed up with 214 as a sophomore and 380 as a junior. Now averaging over 23 points per game in her final campaign, she has already added 318 points to her career total. This consistent offensive production is rooted in a relentless work ethic, something first-year head coach Brad Hill and teammates alike consistently praise.

By crossing the threshold, Perdue-DelTorchio joins an elite list of Fishermen greats. She’s just the second player from this decade to reach this milestone, following GHS 2020 graduate, CNE Player Of The Year, and D3 All-American Marcus Montagnino (Endicott College). She’s the first female basketball player since Whitney Schrock in 2018.

The honor also adds another banner to the family household. Jordan’s mother, Amber DelTorchio, currently holds the girls’ Track and Field record for the shotput, with a throw of 35’5.5″. Perdue-DelTorchio’s feat will now be immortalized on the 1000-point basketball display, inches away from her mom’s.

“It feels wonderful,” Perdue-DelTorchio said in a post-game interview. “It feels as though I’m on the top of the world right now because I am. I didn’t think I was gonna be here, but I’m here now and I’m gonna be up [on the banners].”

The historic night was made even better by a 49-32 victory over North Middlesex, a crucial win for Gloucester as they fight for a Division 3 playoff spot. Perdue-DelTorchio finished the game with a dominant line of 16 points, 12 rebounds, and four steals, supported by a strong team effort including 11 points from freshman Emma Richardson and a 10-rebound performance from Olivia Madruga.

“This was our most important game of this season,” Perdue-DelTorchio said. “Everybody executed what they needed to. We’ve been working our ass off to get the job done. Natasha had the best defense I’ve ever seen. She was hustling like never-before. They must’ve been calling fouls on her just because she was hustling too much. ‘That girl’s hustling too much, we gotta call something! She’s just too good on defense!'”

“We played awesome,” junior Natasha DePaula added. “Jordan, obviously, was killer on the rebounds. Gabby with the ten blocks. Emma with the amazing three [point shots]. Everybody scored and everybody all around played amazing.”

The event garnered hundreds of Gloucester citizens from around the city, from fellow GHS sports teams and former record holders. The team offered free admission into the game in order to bring as many fans into the GHS Field House to support Jordan.

“We haven’t had a crowd like that in forever,” Perdue-delTorchio said when asked about the support from the hometown crowd. “They were great. They were chirping the other team just like we needed. We felt loved, we felt supported, we felt uplifted.”

Now sitting at 6-9, the Fishermen need to win their final four games to qualify for the postseason. The girls’ basketball team hasn’t qualified for the postseason since 2018, back when the MIAA still used the old bracket system.

“We have to work really hard and pick it up in practice,” DePaula said. “We have to prepare overall for the challenges ahead. We have Saugus coming up soon, so that’s probably gonna be our toughest challenge. But if we play really well against them, we can get to that postseason.”

Regardless of this season’s outcome, the season has already been defined by the grit of the squad, and the historic individual achievement of their senior leader. The girls’ take on Marblehead this Thursday at GHS.

Gallery • 8 Photos

Aleena Brown

Jordan Perdue-DelTorchio holds up the custom banner for her achievement.