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Jackson ‘motor’ top NBA weapon

By Randy Lefko Sports Editor
Posted 4/29/20

FLEMING ISLAND – With his fitness level; his “motor” and his sharp free throw shooting, plus some Marine Corps intuitiveness, former Fleming Island High basketball standout Ronald …

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Jackson ‘motor’ top NBA weapon


Posted

FLEMING ISLAND – With his fitness level; his “motor” and his sharp free throw shooting, plus some Marine Corps intuitiveness, former Fleming Island High basketball standout Ronald Jackson, Jr., put his signature on an agent contract in April with hopes of a future NBA contract. Jackson recently finished a strong senior season at North Carolina A & T University.
“I’m hopeful to be a small forward in the NBA,” said Jackson. “My main attributes are my motor, my athleticism and being a great teammate. I think I need to work on my outside shot and ballhandling skills.”
Jackson, who averaged double digit scoring and rebounds for his senior season at North Carolina A & T while earning two conference defensive players of the week honors, signed with Overtime International Sports Agency with agent Dave Gasman.
“I went with the agency to be able to put my name out there with hopes of getting a look in the NBA,” said Ronnie Jackson, Jr., 23. “I have teams from overseas that have shown interest with some of the NBA teams contacting me.”
Jackson, who left Fleming Island in 2015 as a high-flying, rebound snaring phenom with long arms on his 6’-7” frame, was able to secure a walk-on junior college slot at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa afterward before University of North Carolina A & T coach Willie Jones made a call after remembering Jackson’s two traits at a summer camp.
“Coach ran a camp in Jacksonville for unsigned players right out of high school,” said Jackson. “I did enough to impress him later, but not at that time, to offer me a scholarship. He saw my film at Hillsborough and made contact after that.”
Jackson, also a track standout, remembered that there was little interest in his basketball while at Fleming Island High School and nearly switched sports.
“I just continued to push to get better,” said Jackson. “I led the state in the junior college in rebounding and started to feel like I could play at the next level.”
For Ronald Jackson, Sr., a 21-year U.S. Marine with wife, Ellen, a seven year Marine Reserves soldier, his son was brought up with a strong understanding of “No Quit.”
“He came from a family of two people who never quit,” said Jackson, Sr. “His mom fought her disease for 20 years and never showed any desire to not being with us anymore. I think that was pivotal to little Ronnie.”
Tragically, Jackson had to trudge on with his sports aspirations being bumped by the death of both a grandmother (cancer) and his mother Ellen (multiple sclerosis) at pivotal parts of his life.
“I just needed him to try and go to college,” said Jackson, Sr. “He didn’t want to stay local, but I encouraged him to give it a try and, if it didn’t work, he could come home. As a Marine kid, he was brought up with a ‘quitting is easy’ mantra.”
One of Jackson, Jr., strongest work ethic thoughts pertained to finishing.
“Both being Marines taught me to start what I finished,” said Jackson. “Life makes things hard, but you keep pushing. Mom was always on my shoulder.”
At Hillsborough, Jackson, who started 19 of 30 games after a redshirt first season, slowly started to put his stamp on rebounds (8.0 per game) and free throws (65 percent).
“He was known for his rebounds and free throws at Hillsborough,” said Jackson, Sr. “North Carolina A & T was first to reach out to him and fly him up to visit.”
Jackson finished a stellar two-year career at North Carolina A & T with a first team All-MEAC conference selection, along with teammate Kam Langley, and a double-double average of scoring (15.0 points per game) and rebounds (10.4 per game) for the 2019-20 season.
Jackson was top scorer and top rebound for 12 of the Aggies games in his senior year with 24 point/14 rebound final game; an 86-77 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) semifinal win over Howard University. Jackson’s top scoring night was a 28 point effort in a February win over North Carolina Central. His top rebound night was an 18 snag night in January in a win over Morgan State.
“Ron is a big-time player,” said N.C. A&T acting head coach Will Jones, in a press release after his second MEAC defensive player of week tab in February. “He is one of the best rebounders in the league. He is relentless. He gets every rebound. He makes the right plays and he makes his free throws. He’s playing like an all-conference player.”
The Aggies finished at 17-15 for the season; 12-4 in conferenc play, with a semifinal finish in the MEAC tournament. The NCAA halted future games from there for the Coronavirus Pandemic. Jones, with a first-time in school history third straight winning season, was named MEAC coach of the year also.