A summer opportunity

It’s a Monday night inside an auxiliary gym adjacent the Oak Park fieldhouse. Summer league games come and go. 

Providence-Mel's Phillip Jackson appears out for blood. He’s playing like a man possessed, taking everything as very personal.

He figures every game is a chance to reveal new dimensions or subtle changes that have made the 6-8 rising junior one of the most intriguing prospects in the Illinois class of 2010.

Playing against Lyons, Jackson is active and involved. During one stretch, he blocks a shot, makes a beautiful pass out of the high post to a flashing teammate under the basket for a lay up. He runs to the other end and forces his defender to travel in attempting to get a shot off. 

Jackson has a sculpted and lean body. He has only been playing organized basketball a short time and the inexperience still shows. He tends to fade away on baseline jump shots rather than elevate vertically.

His touch is smooth, soft, and catches off the board before going in. Quiet and studious, he prefers to play the game rather than reveal a lot of emotion.

“I’m just playing right now, going out there and trying to show what I can do,” Jackson said. “Right now, it’s a little different, I’m playing more in the post, with my back to the basket, though in college I’m going to be a wing or a combination ¾. That’s the biggest strength of my game right, I have good size and I’m usually bigger than the guys guarding me and I can step out or use my [length].”

Jackson has also accumulated strong notices on the club team circuit, where he plays with Mac Irvin’s 16-under team. In May, he impressed at Spiece with his combination of size, speed and agility.

He also realizes his biggest weakness comes at the defensive end. ]

“My coach talks to me a lot about being more of a presence, blocking shots, forcing people to change what they’re trying to do," Jackson said. I’m trying to improve my lateral quickness and speed and recognize situations before they develop.”

Jackson started at CICS-Longwood as a freshman and transferred to St. Mel last summer. In his first year of varsity competition, he averaged 19 points and 12 rebounds. 

The Knights have a storied basketball history, including the 1985 state championship team of Lowell Hamilton that some observers regard the most dominant small school team in the former two-class system. Following the Stan Gaines and Justin Cerasoli team that qualified for the 2002 Class A quarterfinals, the Knights have struggled.

Last year’s team, the second of coach Todd Kelly, finished 12-15, but they showed strides of improvement. They lost to Class 2A state champion North Lawndale in the regional. With two Young transfers, including 6-5 Mark Mack, St. Mel has reinforcements to complement Jackson’s evolving game. 

“That’s why I came to St. Mel, to restore the program to where it was," Jackson said. "I think we have the chance to win state this year.".

His coach is more cautious. But Kelly notes that Lawndale and Hales have moved up a class and Englewood has closed.

“Last year we didn’t have a great season, but we showed a lot of signs of getting better,” said Kelly, who played at the former St. Martin de Porres with that year’s Mr. Basketball, Jerry Gee. “We started out well against Lawndale, but we couldn’t match their depth and they just wore us out."

Jackson has already been offered scholarships by Southern Illinois, Indiana State, Northern Illinois and Eastern Illinois. Larger schools are also showing interest. Jackson is in no hurry to make a commitment. 

“Phil’s the kind of kid that just draws people to him,” said Kelly.  “At school, people just always walk up to him and start talking to him because he’s a good kid, he’s not selfish or conceited, and a hard worker, and people like being around him. It’s the same with basketball.  He’s a leader.”