The 5-foot-8 South Charleston senior guard has made it to the previous two Class AAA state championship games only to have both end in heartache.

Gordon, the daughter of former Wheeling Park and University of Charleston standout guard Tony Gordon, suffered a knee injury in the 2010 state semifinals and had to watch from the bench on crutches as her teammates put up a valiant effort before losing to North Marion 58-45.

Last season on a rehabilitated knee, Gordon and the Black Eagles fell behind by 21 points in the third quarter of the title game before rallying and pulling within one point then falling short again to North Marion 71-62.

"To watch your team lose the state championship and you know you can't help them when they're giving everything they've got ... it really hurt me,'' said Gordon.

"Then coming back to the next one and realizing you didn't play up to your full potential the whole game ... the thing that hurts the most is that we have the potential and we've never lived up to it in a game. I'm glad we've been stepping up this season and playing to our potential.''

Gordon is having her best season yet, leading the ultra-competitive Mountain State Athletic Conference in scoring for a second straight season at 23.2 points per game.

She has guided SC (17-3) to a No. 4 ranking in the Associated Press poll and a third straight MSAC West Division title. The Black Eagles are seeking their third straight title when they take on No. 1 and undefeated Greenbrier East in the Night of Champions title game this weekend.

"There's nothing else on our minds,'' said Gordon of a state title. "We've accomplished everything else we wanted. If we fall short in some type of way I want us to fall short saying we gave everything we had.

"If we give everything we had and something just doesn't fall right in the game, I'll be satisfied. It's the times you look in the mirror and say, 'What could I have done better? What could I have done better?'''

Gordon, who has compiled 1,714 career points in one season at Nitro and three seasons at SC, has put herself in the middle of the discussion for the state player of the year honor.

"Brittany has really picked up the leadership role this year,'' said SC coach Gary Greene. "She's kind of a quiet kid, but she's been pretty vocal this year. She directs traffic on defense. I think she has a lot more confidence now in her shooting ability.

"I know how it is when you have knee problems. You have a psychological barrier maybe for six months or a year. I think that affected her some last year, but I think she's totally confident in her ability to push off both legs and that confidence level she's shown has been a big plus this year. Brittany always has that drive.

"There's times when she just wants to take over and she's capable of doing that. She's a competitor. I think the fact that we came close a couple of times and she had to overcome major knee surgery, that's motivated her. I think she's highly motivated to get us as far as we can go this year wherever that ends up.''

SC began the season as the top-ranked team in Class AAA and dominated the early part of the schedule until falling at home to Greenbrier East on Jan. 10.

The Black Eagles lost again at Woodrow Wilson six days later, then to nationally ranked Oak Hill (Va.) in the Huntington St. Joseph Invitational on Jan. 27, but are now on a five-game winning streak.

 "As a leader, I try to complement my team and give them confidence,'' Gordon said. "We have some really good players. Overall, I'm really proud of my team. Even when we've been down in some games [this season] we end up coming back.''

Gordon said if a state title isn't in the cards she can handle whatever fate decides to deal.

"[My knee injury] made me realize everybody doesn't get to do the stuff that I do,'' she said. "There are kids out there who are sick and places where they just wish they'd be able to walk and in wheelchairs. You're really grateful and thankful.''

Gordon said she has been talking to coaches from Akron, South Carolina and Xavier, but nothing will be decided until after the state tournament because she wants to focus on brining a championship home.

"We know we haven't played up to our full potential yet,'' she said. "I love my teammates. They've been doing everything they're supposed to be doing. The only thing that would put the icing on the cake is the state championship.''

Reach Tommy R. Atkinson at tatkin...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-4811.