Jackson High School
The Ed White Commanders faced the Jackson Tigers for the Boys Basketball Gateway Conference Tournament Friday night. A packed gymnasium with a host of notables from Jacksonville’s sports community were on hand for the contest.
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Jackson defeated Mandarin, while Ed White took down Wolfson to advance to the finals.
Jackson and Ed White for the Gateway title! #Boys Basketball pic.twitter.com/udLfy6LfQ5
— DuvalSports (@DuvalSports) January 23, 2015
End of the first. Ed White up 13-10 over Jackson! pic.twitter.com/WFy6FlVNiK
— DuvalSports (@DuvalSports) January 24, 2015
The game got off to a furious pace but yielded very little scoring as these two athletic teams went at it. Ed White showed early that they were the more focused team in the beginning as they muscled their way to the basket for layups and rejected many of Jackson’s attempts at the basket. Anthony Johnson spear headed this effort for the Commanders rejecting shots and dominating the undersized Tigers.
Ed white #23 Anthony Johnson -12 Jackson #11 Ted Williams -7pts as Ed White leads Jackson 19-18 pic.twitter.com/TDT8qgpcG7
— DuvalSports (@DuvalSports) January 24, 2015
What Jackson lacked in size they made up for with athletic ability as their guards began to push the rock. Their forwards also possessed the ability to leap out of the building as they skied for rebounds and layups over the longer and taller Commanders. The Tiger’s #10 Miller and #11 Jackson controlled the tempo for most of the second half as they headed orders from their head coach to penetrate the Commanders defense.
Action picking up in the 2nd half! Jackson leads 31-29 heading to the last period pic.twitter.com/8BLt2vo4fC
— DuvalSports (@DuvalSports) January 24, 2015
The score inched closer and closer toward the end setting up what everyone in attendance knew to be an incredible ending. With a one point lead Jackson missed a set of free throws giving the Commanders the ball with 15 seconds to play. On the ensuing play, Ed White was stripped by a Jackson defender who attempted to dribble the ball down court. The ball was deflected and stolen by Ed White with less than five seconds.Anthony Jeanty received a pass from the half court line and drove down the right baseline to his basket with a Tiger defender in his face. Jeanty somehow made the layup as time expired as Commander fans rushed court to celebrate the spectacular win.
#15 Anthony Jeanty At the buzzer as Ed White defeats Jackson to win 43-42! #11 Williams 13pts for Jackson and #23 Johnson 14pts
— DuvalSports (@DuvalSports) January 24, 2015
Both teams played an awesome game and gave it all out there on the court. But to Ed White, the 2015 Gateway Conference Champions goes the trophy and the bragging rights for the year.
Your 2015 Boys Basketball Gateway Conference Champions.. The Ed White Commanders! #jacksonVSwhitepic.twitter.com/i9mPxFkmnS
— DuvalSports (@DuvalSports) January 24, 2015
