Jackson HS- The Paxon Eagles (16-6) traveled to Main Street to face the Jackson Tigers (14-4), setting up a battle between the last two Gateway Conference Champions. Paxon won it in 2020 and Jackson was crowned in 2019. Both teams came into the contest on winning streaks. Paxon defeated Westside 58-48, then First Coast 50-49 in the Gateway Conference Semifinals to advance to the championship. Jackson defeated Ed White 69-36 and Lee 54-42 in the semifinals.
The game started out as expected with Coach James Collins using his big lineup to take advantage down low. After the game Collins credited his players for their effort in rebounding and knocking down shots. James Morrow and Marquez Ray were able to hit the boards, block shots and disrupt shots by Paxon. However, the biggest benefactor of the big line up was 6’7 center Stephon Payne. Payne established himself on the block scoring on layups, put backs and dunks. He finished with 16 points in the game.
Paxon stayed close early on on in the game thanks to senior guard Quinnton Jackson. Jackson hit the first shot of the game, and even when his teamed trailed by double digits, he continued his hot shooting, knocking down 19 points in the game. At halftime his team trailed 35-19 as Jackson’s relentless pressure resulted in steals and fast break points.
Jackson’s Rickie Shaw is one of the most athletic players on the team excelling in football and basketball. In the gateway conference championship, he used that athleticism to find open areas on the court and knock down shots. He finished with 10 points in the game.
Down by 16 points Paxon kept fighting in the second half. Senior Jakobe Williams was red hot, hitting shots off the dribble, and nailing 3-pointers in an attempt for his team to claw their way back into the game. Williams finished with 18 points in the game.
Jackson senior Bryce Turner brought the intensity into the contest and it showed on the floor. He made shots and made it to the line in the first half, while emphatically putting an exclamation point with dunks in the second half. His 12-points in the game were one of the main reasons Paxon could not answer the onslaught of points and pressure put on by Jackson.
Paxon’s coach Toby Frazier puts everything into his players and they respond by paying hard for him to the final buzzer. After the game, he was visibly emotional congratulating his mentor James Collins and Jackson for their victory. Both he and Collins have returned boys basketball to elevated heights in Duval County, respected as state powers as both have made two consecutive trips to the Final 4.
After two consecutive Gateway Championships in 2018 and 2019, Jackson was upset in the tournament last year by Terry Parker. Said senior leader Davin Daniels after the game, “we came back this year with a lot of aggression on our minds, knowing we were the best in the city and we wanted to play like we were the best as well”.
Jackson’s 73-52 win over Paxon crowned them the best public school team in the Duval County and returned the Gateway Championship to Main Street. Yet Jackson isn’t only looking to be crowned the best in the city, but they’re looking to be crowned the best in the state as they shoot for a state title.
