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Willie Jackson (basketball)

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Willie Jackson
Personal information
Born (1962-06-22) June 22, 1962 (age 62)
Ringgold, Louisiana
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High schoolSibley (Webster Parish, Louisiana)
CollegeCentenary (1980–1984)
NBA draft1984: 4th round, 74th overall pick
Selected by the Houston Rockets
PositionForward
Career history
1984–1985Wisconsin Flyers
1985Sarasota Stingers
Career highlights and awards

Willie Jackson (born June 22, 1962)[1] is an American former college basketball stand-out and current high school head coach.[2][3]

Playing career

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High school

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Jackson grew up in Webster Parish, Louisiana and attended Sibley High School from 1976–77 to 1979–80.[3] During his junior and senior years, Sibley won 100 straight games, including a perfect 58–0 season in 1979–80 which ended with a state championship.[3]

College

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Willie Jackson decided to stay in Louisiana and signed to play at Centenary College of Louisiana, an NCAA Division I institution. He played basketball all four seasons and graduated as the most prolific scorer in both school and Trans America Athletic Conference (now the ASUN Conference) history.[2] Between 1980–81 and 1983–84, Jackson played in 114 games and recorded 2,535 points, 1,013 rebounds, 112 blocks and 205 steals.[4] Through the 2009–10 season, these rank him first, second, first and third in Centenary history, respectively.[4] Only Hall of Famer Robert Parish grabbed more rebounds (1,820).[4] He scored 30 or more points in a game 21 times and had a career high of 41.[4] When Jackson's career ended, he was one of only seven players in Division I history to have scored 2,500+ points and grabbed 1,000+ rebounds.[2] He remained the only TAAC/ASUN player to be honored as the Conference Player of the Year three times (1982 through 1984) before that feat was matched in 2023 by Liberty's Darius McGhee.[2][3][5] At Jackson's graduation, he was only the fourth Division I player ever to earn three conference player of the year awards.[6] His ASUN scoring record lasted until February 22, 2023, when it was surpassed by McGhee, who had the benefit of a fifth season of eligibility due to a blanket NCAA eligibility waiver for all basketball players active in the COVID-disrupted 2020–21 season.[7]

Jackson was drafted in the fourth round (74th overall) in the 1984 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets, although he never played in the league.[8] He played the 1984–85 season in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), for the Wisconsin Flyers and Sarasota Stingers. He averaged 8.3 points and 3.4 rebounds over 35 games.[1]

Coaching career

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Jackson was the head boys' basketball coach Loyola College Prep in Shreveport, Louisiana.[3] His previous coaching experience also included a stint as an assistant coach for Centenary.[6]

Through the 2008–09 boys' basketball season, Jackson has become the winningest coach in school history, leading the Flyers to three playoff berths, a school-record 27 wins in 2007–08, three 20-win seasons (the most of any coach in school history), and his 118 wins was 40 more than the next closest head coach at Loyola Prep.[3] He was also named the Coach of the Year on The (Shreveport) Times All-City team in 2004–05.[3] He was terminated as head coach at the end of the 2012 season.[9]

As of 2012–13 Willie Jackson is the head coach at Central High School in Grand Cane, Louisiana.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "1985–86 CBA Official Guide and Register, page 235". Continental Basketball Association. Fall 1985. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  2. ^ a b c d "Centenary Places Two on Atlantic Sun's List of 30 Shining Moments". GoCentenary.com. Centenary College of Louisiana. September 19, 2008. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Willie Jackson & Coaching Staff". Loyola College Prep. 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  4. ^ a b c d "Men's Basketball Record Book" (PDF). 1,000 Point Club. Centenary College of Louisiana. 2010. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
  5. ^ "@ASUN_MBB Postseason Awards Announced; McGhee Claims Third Player of the Year Honor" (Press release). ASUN Conference. February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Willie Jackson: Basketball (1980–84)". GoCentenary.com. Centenary College of Louisiana. February 14, 2008. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  7. ^ "McGhee Sets ASUN All-Time Scoring Record, Liberty Surges Past Queens For 85-77 Win" (Press release). Liberty Flames. February 22, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  8. ^ "Houston Rockets Draft Picks". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  9. ^ The Shreveport Times, May 19, 2012
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