Decision looms for Digital Harbor's Justin Jackson
College classes start relatively soon for the class of 2010, but Justin Jackson still has a choice to make.
The former Digital Harbor combo guard, fresh off a successful set of performances at the inaugural Baltimore Summer League at Loyola, was all set to join Morgan State’s basketball team as a preferred walk-on. Jackson said he received a financial aid package from the university and an invitation to suit up for the defending MEAC-champion Bears.
Last week, however, Jackson caught the attention of the Urbana (Ohio) University coaching staff at a workout at the Park School. Jackson said a scholarship was offered, as well as a request to visit the university, located about 45 miles outside of Columbus, Ohio.
“They asked me if I possibly wanted to visit, and I said, ‘Yeah,’” Jackson said. “I’m going to check them out on their website and try to take a visit, then I’ll give them my transcript and all that stuff. It’s a little process. Just as soon as I visit there, then I’ll make my final decision. In like a week or two.”
Urbana transitioned from the NAIA level to Division II play in 2008. The Blue Knights finished 14-13 last season.
If Jackson decides to take Morgan’s walk-on offer, he could have a chance to renew a sibling rivalry. His older brother, George Jackson, recently completed his freshman season at Coppin State. The brothers teamed with Davon Usher (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) to lead Digital Harbor to the Class 1A state title in 2009.
“[George is] healing from a knee injury, so we’re still waiting to see if he’ll play up there next year,” Jackson said. “[But] it’s going to be real competitive, especially if I get in at the same time as he gets in. We’re going to have to stick each other and play our hearts out.”
Jackson, 6 feet, 175 pounds, averaged about 18 points, five assists and four rebounds for the Rams as a senior.
“I had a good season,” Jackson said. “[I] didn’t get a chance to win that state championship again, but I got a ring my junior year.”
Baltimore Sun photo of Justin Jackson by Amy Davis / Jan. 16, 2009
Comments
You can't tell me he didn't receive any D1 offers.
Posted by: Neil | July 20, 2010 12:04 AM
Neil -- I was definitely surprised, too. He looks like a DI player to me.
Posted by: Matt Bracken | July 20, 2010 1:33 PM
Well, I do know that UMBC offered him, at least.
Posted by: Neil | July 21, 2010 12:49 AM
Neil -- Interesting. UMBC's roster, as it stands now, has 11 scholarship players, so who knows what happened there.
Posted by: Matt Bracken | July 21, 2010 8:45 AM
12. Chris De La Rosa, Nick Groce, Brian Neller, Adrien Satchell, Bakari Smith, Justin Fry, Jake Wasco, Robbie Jackson, redshirt Jamar Wertz, freshman Chase Plummer and Matt Conway, and transfer Travis King, who doesn't have to sit out a year due to beginning grad school after graduating from GW.
Posted by: Neil | July 21, 2010 8:47 PM
Ouch. If Baltimore kids are blowing off scholarships to UMBC to go to a D-II school in Ohio that just moved up from NAIA a couple years ago, they have fallen a long way in the past couple of years. What's going on out in Arbutus?
Posted by: Darlene | July 26, 2010 1:06 AM