For Christian Brothers, Keeper Jackson has to be aggressive

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sophomore forward <strong>Keeper</strong> <strong>Jackson</strong> has had to be aggressive offensively for Christian Brothers this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Purple Wave need it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>His role is bigger this season. Heck, Jackson's stronger. He's also close to 6-foot-8.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And thanks to excellent conditioning, Jackson is now equipped to take physicality at the rim. In Tuesday night's 53-43 home win against Memphis University School, Jackson did a great job of attacking the rim and drawing contact. He was rewarded with many trips to the free throw line, converting on 8 of 12 attempts to go along with his team-led 20 points in a must-win against the Owls.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>”My coaches always tell me “We don't anyone else at the free throw line but you.” But, for me, I practice on them everyday. I put the work in. I make them majority of the time. Why not put me at the free throw line?”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As things are now, Christian Brothers currently holds the West's No. 2 seed in the TSSAA Division II-AA Boys' State Tournament. The Purple Wave will need to sweep St. Benedict to secure it. Briarcrest currently holds the West's No. 1 seed, with its only loss coming against the MUS.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>All three programs will host, at least, one playoff game. Around this time of the season, teams get hot, talented players rise to the occasion, deep postseason runs occur, and for the spectators, they're fun to watch. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jackson can be that talented prospect to rise to the occasion. Christian Brothers can be the team to get hot heading into the postseason. It's not like the Purple Wave lack what it takes to catch fire. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2313477' first='<strong>Ashton</strong>' last='<strong>Hudson</strong>'] can make shots from the perimeter. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2131647' first='<strong>Carson</strong>' last='<strong>Chandler</strong>'], a lefty, can get into a nice flow. And Jackson loves to attack the basket. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the second quarter against the Owls, Ashton and Chandler made back-to-back 3s. Chandler, who finished with 11 points, would make another one midway through the quarter, then Jackson made one of his own to help Christian Brothers build a 29-16 halftime lead. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In that short span, the Purple Wave showed how lethal they can be offensively, and in order for this team to have a chance at competing for a TSSAA Division II-AA state title, or at the very least, make the final four in Cookeville, Tennessee, Jackson - who scored 7 of the team's 15 first quarter points - will have to set the tone early.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>”It was very important for me. I knew we needed this win,” Jackson said about getting into a rhythm early. “I feel Iike I had to do more for my team. But most of all, I just wanted to set the tone.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->