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Addie Jordan doesn’t want you to ask how she feels. That giant knee brace she wears on her left leg, the one that goes from the top of her sock to the bottom of her shorts, that’s not a conversation starter.

“I try not to think about it. When I got cleared, I didn’t want to think about my knee. I don’t want people asking me if I’m OK,” said Jordan, a Cheverus junior. “I just want to play. If I think about it, then something’s going to happen again. I just try to play like it’s not there. I just play.”

A knee injury suffered in an AAU game in Pennsylvania jeopardized Jordan’s season (“I felt all three pops,” she said), and Cheverus coach Billy Goodman wasn’t sure she’d play at all. A key starter last season, Jordan returned in a Jan. 10 game against Marshwood.

Saturday at Cross Insurance Arena, Jordan was the glue player in the Stags’ 46-35 win over South Portland in the Class A South championship game. Her stat line doesn’t inspire awe, but she routinely was in the right place at the right time to make a play when Cheverus needed it.

Jordan finished with four points, but her 3-pointer from the top of the key late in the third quarter pushed the Stags’ lead to eight points. She had 10 rebounds, six in the fourth quarter when Cheverus pulled away. She had a block, an assist and a pair of steals.

“My plan was all along, ease her into it. A couple minutes here, a couple minutes there. See what she had,” Goodman said. “Get ready for the playoffs in our last two games with Biddeford and South Portland. I increased her workload.”

Goodman told Jordan, I want you to play this season, but I want you to be able to play next season, and then play in college. So let’s take it slow. She said she felt winded a lot early in her return. She had to get used to her left leg feeling heavier than her right because of the brace. At first, it threw off her court balance.

“It scrapes up my other leg so much, which is hard. I guess I got used to it,” she said.

Back-to-back South Portland possessions in the fourth quarter showed Jordan was definitely ready for the playoffs.

With 2:03 left in the game, Jordan took a charge from Destiny Peter, fouling South Portland’s best rebounder out of the game. On the Red Riots’ next trip down the court, Jordan blocked a shot and grabbed the rebound, preventing South Portland from cutting into a nine-point Cheverus lead.

Last season, Jordan was asked to be a scorer. This season, she’s more of a grinder, a do-the-dirty-work player, and she’s embraced it.

“I just try to remember that (scoring) points isn’t everything. My team doesn’t need points from me. We have Kylie (Lamson, a Miss Maine Basketball semifinalist). My job is to clean up the boards, take care of the ball, and keep everyone calm,” Jordan said. “It can get really stressful out there, and I just try to be a sense of calm for everyone, remind everyone we’re good, we’re fine. That’s my job. Scoring’s not my job. It was last year, but I had to adapt to what my new role was.”

Goodman chose not to insert Jordan back into the starting five when she returned. The team was playing well, and he believes in those players, too. Jordan came off the bench midway through the first quarter Saturday and played starter’s minutes.

Jordan’s return made a very good team better.

“Getting Addie back is one heck of a midseason acquisition,” Goodman said.

Asked to describe Jordan’s game, Goodman put it simply. She’s a champion.

“Pressure is a privilege, and being out there is great right now,” Jordan said.

Cheverus is going to a state final for the third straight season, and Jordan wants you to know her knee is fine.