Admon Gilder's value to the Texas A&M basketball program, both on and off the court, is almost immeasurable.
By: <IMG SRC="http://files.12thman.com/graphics/bylines/charean.png"> Charean Williams '86, Special Contributor to 12thMan.com
Share:
Texas A&M promotes Admon Gilder as the most underappreciated player in the SEC.
His value to the Aggies has shown up not in the 10 games he has played this season, but in the five he has missed.
With Gilder rehabbing a knee injury, the Aggies went 2-3 without him. They averaged 82.6 points with him and 68.8 points without him.
"It's a lot of things we miss [without Gilder]," A&M coach Billy Kennedy said. "That's the problem with having him out. When I sit here and try to think about one thing, it's not one thing that we miss. We miss the whole package, because he gets deflections; he gets steals. He has an ability to take away opponents' top scorer, and he's so consistent as a shooter, whether it's from two-point range or three-point range. You can count on him making shots and making big free throws. When we need him to make a big play, he's capable of going out and making a big play offensively or defensively. So unfortunately, it's not just one thing we miss."
Gilder, the smallest – and with the fewest stars – of the four signees in the team's vaunted 2015 recruiting class, has become one of the biggest stars not only on the current roster but in the program's history. If he stays all four seasons, the junior guard likely leaves his name in the record book in several categories, including steals and assists.
"Anytime you can leave your mark like that, it's always memorable," Gilder said. "It's something that I'll be able to tell my daughter about what I accomplished at A&M. I'm fulfilling all the goals that I had for myself, and representing my family in the best way possible."
Gilder chose A&M to do what he's done and what he's doing, which is setting a standard and establishing a legacy for the men's basketball program. As a freshman, Gilder was instrumental in the greatest game in the history of the program – a double overtime 92-88 victory over Northern Iowa in the NCAA tournament. In the final 37 seconds of regulation, the Aggies overcame a 12-point deficit as Gilder scored four points, including the game-tying layup, and had two steals, an assist and a rebound.
Gilder has a picture of the layup hanging in his bedroom, the last thing he sees every night.
"It means everything to be a part of something that everybody will never forget," Gilder said. "People say that's one of the best comebacks ever in college basketball history, and I had a big influence in it. I think that's probably the most memorable moment of my college basketball career so far, and I'll never forget it."
Gilder's life is a comeback story.
He spent his high school career at Dallas Madison, where his father played football and was an all-district receiver. Gilder helped the Trojans win back-to-back Class 3A state titles in 2013 and '14 as he earned MVP honors in the state title game as a junior.
But the University Interscholastic League stripped the school of the championships after an investigation found Madison played an ineligible player.
In the wake of the athletic recruiting scandal, Gilder stayed for his senior season and led Madison to the Class 4A state tournament semifinals in 2015.
"Once I put my mind to something, I put 100 percent into it," Gilder said. "I could have left my senior year, dealing with everything that was going on, but I already felt established and had relationships at the school. I felt comfortable. I'm always going to end what I start."
Gilder, 22, also spent much of his high school career, including his senior season, worrying about his mother. Paula Gilder was diagnosed with third-stage breast cancer. Paula Gilder, now cancer-free, endured 39 radiation treatments and 11 chemotherapy treatments.
"Even in the midst of that, he got perfect attendance at school," said Admon Gilder Sr., Admon's father. "We encouraged him to stay focused, and he was able do whatever he was supposed to do at school.
"But it's just a reminder that we are all just one step away, one day away, one hour, one minute, so we want to make sure we stay positive. That's the way he was able to endure it all."
Admon and his mother, Paula.
As a four-star recruit, the 2015 Gatorade Texas Player of the Year award winner and a Parade All-American, Gilder had his choice of schools. He joined even higher-rated prospects Tyler Davis, D.J. Hogg and Elijah Thomas in selecting the Aggies, making it the highest-ranked recruiting class in school history. (Thomas since has transferred to Clemson.)
The idea of making history drew Gilder to College Station.
"When we went there on his recruiting visit, I told my wife, 'One day, we're going to drive into this town, and he's going to be on billboards,' because I just know what he's capable of doing," Gilder Sr. said. "At the same time, his goal is to win games. A lot of times at that level, guys just want to score, but he's willing to do whatever it takes to win. He's always had that about him, and he's always been able to win at every level."
Gilder is a face of the Aggies, a face his nearly 2-year-old daughter is coming to recognize on TV.
Kailey Nicole Gilder is the light of her father's life and a frequent visitor to Reed Arena. She sometimes says "Dada" when she sees a close-up of Gilder on TV.
Admon with Kailey Nicole.
"It's amazing," Gilder said of having a daughter. "It's the best feeling in the world. Right now, she's at the stage when she's getting into everything."
Kailey Nicole had a big Christmas, getting a remote-controlled Mercedes among (many) other things.
"She's a little spoiled," Gilder admitted.
All Gilder wanted for Christmas was to get healthy and get back on the court. A&M has missed his 12.7 points, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals in his 30 minutes per game this season.
The Aggies were 9-1 with him and ranked as high as No. 5. Gilder is the key to getting the team back on track – and back in the win column.
"Winning makes a lot of people happy," Gilder said, "and that's what we plan on doing."
