Lucas: Active Jackson

By Adam Lucas

KANSAS CITY--Justin Jackson cited advice from the usual sources as leading to his breakout last two games: Roy Williams, Steve Robinson, his teammates. But then there also was some key advice from an unexpected source: Jackson's mother.

After Carolina's win over Wofford, Sharon Jackson told her son he was jumping too high on his jump shots. “Try getting a little less lift,” she told him.

Justin Jackson in the three games pre-mom coaching session: 0-for-9 from the three-point line, 20 total points.

Justin Jackson in the two games since the advice: 4-for-10 from the three-point line, including 1-for-3 in Monday's 80-69 win over Northwestern, and 46 total points.

It doesn't matter how big you get, or what a star you become, or how much you're on TV: Mom always knows. Sharon Jackson has some qualifications—she played basketball at Blinn Junior College. But as any parent knows, when you watch your kid do anything repetively growing up, even if you're not an expert in that particular field, you become an expert in your kid doing that particular action. Hence, it's easy for Sharon Jackson to spot Justin elevating three or four inches higher than normal on a shot she's seen him take thousands of times over the past 15 years.

“Both of my parents taught me how to shoot, but my mom really stayed on me as far as the mechanics of my shot,” Jackson said. “I tried what she said in practice, tried it in shootaround, and in the game it translated and I started shooting a little better.”

What's encouraging is that Jackson's 46-point output in the past two games isn't just because he's on a perimeter hot streak. On his way to a slow three-game start, he took 41.7 percent of his field goals from beyond the three-point line. Over the past two games, however, that ratio has dipped to 33.3 percent.

Northwestern tried to zone the Tar Heels and coax Carolina's outside shooters into shooting them out of the game. It worked to a point, as the Tar Heels hoisted an overeager 24 three-pointers. But on several of those perimeter shots, there was Jackson sliding into a hole in the zone, taking advantage of the Wildcats losing a box-out, grabbing the board, and slithering to the rim for a bucket. Jackson finished with six offensive rebounds and 13 for the game, giving him his first UNC double-double. 

“Coach told us when they are in a zone, they don't have the guys to box out,” Jackson said. “If you run in there, you might find a long rebound. Every game, I'm supposed to get to the boards, but I don't do as well as I'm supposed to. Today I got in there and the ball fell into my hands a couple times.”

That reminded him of more valuable advice, this time of the non-mother variety.

“Coach Robinson said it perfectly,” Jackson said. “When I go out and play with energy on both ends of the court, it gets me going and gets me into the game a little more as opposed to standing around waiting to shoot and waiting to score.”

That's exactly what happened against the Wildcats. The sophomore got in a perfect offensive rhythm, creating easy shots both for himself and for his teammates. In one stretch midway through the second half, he made a quick move to the other side of the rim on the baseline to convert a layup. Then, with Northwestern concerned about his penetration to the rim, he found Kenny Williams for a good look at a three-pointer. On the next possession, he drove and dropped it to Isaiah Hicks, who missed—but those were the types of better looks Carolina wanted to get against the Wildcat zone.

That's the kind of Jackson that is most dangerous for the UNC offense, and the kind that will be even more lethal when Marcus Paige returns. Jackson isn't merely a shooter. He's a slicer and a scorer, and that type of attack never goes on a cold streak.

Jackson's father's job recently relocated him to Kansas City, meaning the family could be in the stands to watch Justin both at Northern Iowa and on Monday night at the Sprint Center. They'll be back on Tuesday, and you know what that means—mom will be watching. Closely.