People often have to look up to see Mitch Jackson.When he steps on the basketball court, those same people are forced to look a little higher.
Jackson recently reached the 6-foot-6 mark. But the Balfour Redmen's Grade 10 basketball star has more than just height on his side. He has some talent, too.
"He could probably be playing with any senior team in the city," insisted Brad Fekula, head coach of the Redmen junior boys basketball team. "It just so happens that this year our senior team has a lot of guys. Otherwise, Mitch would probably be up with them."
Jackson isn't complaining about having to spend another season at the junior level. He is having himself a banner year so far. He led the Redmen on Saturday to their fourth consecutive Balfour Junior Basketball Classic tournament championship with an 83-70 victory over the LeBoldus Golden Suns 83-70 in the boys' final. On Friday, he wowed the audience and captured the tournament's slam-dunk crown. In three tournament games over the weekend, the boy who wears Size 14 shoes averaged more than 30 points per game.
"He is probably the most athletic kid I have ever seen or even coached," Fekula admitted. "He has the ability to take it to the basket. He has a good stroke and can pull up from anywhere ... for a kid his age, he's the complete package."
Jackson's length is
just a bonus, especially at the junior level where he has at least six
inches on the majority of his opponents. He has scored 30 or more points
in numerous league games this season, including a 54-point effort
versus LeBoldus earlier in the year.
"Yeah, I guess sometimes the game does come pretty easily for me," said Jackson, who started for the midget under-15 team at the Basketball Canada nationals this past summer. "But I'm not going to let up and take it easy in a game. I'm going to push myself to be better and to keep doing more.
"I have things that I know I need to work on like my dribbling and ball-handling. So I'm not going to slack off and stop trying when I'm playing just because we're up by a bunch."
Despite leading his W.F. Ready School team to a city championship in his Grade 8 year, Jackson was under the radar when arrived at Balfour. But this year he has developed into an athletic power, and not just with basketball.
As a freshman, Jackson led the Redmen junior boys volleyball team to its first city championship since 1964. This past volleyball season, Jackson was a member of the Redmen's senior boys city finalist team.
"He wasn't really that well-known when he got to us," Fekula said. "But he has certainly grown into a great player. I see nothing but good things in his future, whether he chooses volleyball or sticks with basketball.
"I see him playing at the next level, for sure. He has the body where he might end up being 6-foot-9 or 6-foot-10 before he's finishing growing."
Jackson recently reached the 6-foot-6 mark. But the Balfour Redmen's Grade 10 basketball star has more than just height on his side. He has some talent, too.
"He could probably be playing with any senior team in the city," insisted Brad Fekula, head coach of the Redmen junior boys basketball team. "It just so happens that this year our senior team has a lot of guys. Otherwise, Mitch would probably be up with them."
Jackson isn't complaining about having to spend another season at the junior level. He is having himself a banner year so far. He led the Redmen on Saturday to their fourth consecutive Balfour Junior Basketball Classic tournament championship with an 83-70 victory over the LeBoldus Golden Suns 83-70 in the boys' final. On Friday, he wowed the audience and captured the tournament's slam-dunk crown. In three tournament games over the weekend, the boy who wears Size 14 shoes averaged more than 30 points per game.
"He is probably the most athletic kid I have ever seen or even coached," Fekula admitted. "He has the ability to take it to the basket. He has a good stroke and can pull up from anywhere ... for a kid his age, he's the complete package."
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| Mitch Jackson |
"Yeah, I guess sometimes the game does come pretty easily for me," said Jackson, who started for the midget under-15 team at the Basketball Canada nationals this past summer. "But I'm not going to let up and take it easy in a game. I'm going to push myself to be better and to keep doing more.
"I have things that I know I need to work on like my dribbling and ball-handling. So I'm not going to slack off and stop trying when I'm playing just because we're up by a bunch."
Despite leading his W.F. Ready School team to a city championship in his Grade 8 year, Jackson was under the radar when arrived at Balfour. But this year he has developed into an athletic power, and not just with basketball.
As a freshman, Jackson led the Redmen junior boys volleyball team to its first city championship since 1964. This past volleyball season, Jackson was a member of the Redmen's senior boys city finalist team.
"He wasn't really that well-known when he got to us," Fekula said. "But he has certainly grown into a great player. I see nothing but good things in his future, whether he chooses volleyball or sticks with basketball.
"I see him playing at the next level, for sure. He has the body where he might end up being 6-foot-9 or 6-foot-10 before he's finishing growing."
Courtesy of Craig Slater, Leader-Post
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