It wasn’t Rick Jackson’s 13 points and eight rebounds against Arizona State that had Syracuse assistant coach Rob Murphy smiling before practice at Manley Field House on Tuesday.

Murphy, considering where Jackson was at the beginning of the season, fondly remembered what the sophomore forward told him right before Syracuse’s second-round NCAA Tournament game began.

‘Coach, I’ve got a good feeling we’re going to blow them out,’ Jackson said to Murphy. ‘(Arizona State center Jeff) Pendergraph looks kind of nervous. I think we got him.’

The soft-spoken Jackson, who struggled to find confidence of his own through the first 46 games of his collegiate career, could now sense fear in his opponent. And since Jackson entered the Orange’s starting lineup on Dec. 20 at Memphis, that confidence has turned the 6-foot-9 forward into a serious scoring threat in the post.

Jackson will return to the arena where his season turned the corner on Friday, when Syracuse plays Oklahoma in the Sweet 16 at FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tenn.

‘It meant a lot,’ Jackson said about becoming a starter. ‘I was looking forward to starting, so when I got that chance to start, I just took advantage of it.’

He is the starter on this Sweet 16 team that goes unnoticed the most. Jackson doesn’t like talking to the media. (His best friend and roommate, Scoop Jardine, said he always picks on Jackson for his lack of interviewing skills.) He’ll almost never do anything flashy on the court. And usually, his workmanlike performances in the paint can be overlooked until the final numbers are counted.

But recently, as his confidence has blossomed on the court, those around Jackson have praised his maturation as a person.

That, Murphy said, all comes back to the decision to insert Jackson into the starting five.

‘For some guys, that’s more important,’ Murphy said. ‘Rick was playing 25 minutes off the bench, which is a lot. But it’s something about getting your name called for some kids and being out there with the first five guys.’

It seemed like an insignificant switch at the time, but it’s paid crucial dividends. Facing Memphis’ taller lineup, Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim chose Jackson over Kristof Ongenaet. Ongenaet had scored a total of 13 points in his previous six starts and Boeheim wanted more offense.

Jackson has since developed into the secondary offensive post threat Boeheim desired, while Ongenaet adapted well to his role off the bench.

In the 26 games Jackson has started this season, he is averaged 9.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.

‘He’s been a confident player, we’re just getting him a few more touches now,’ center Arinze Onuaku said. ‘We’ve been working each other out, making each other better. He’s looking to score when he gets the ball, and that’s good for us.’

Jackson’s rise also has to do with trust. The sophomore said that Boeheim’s decision to make him a starter affirmed his coach’s faith that Jackson could contribute in a larger role. He no longer looks to the bench after every mistake, for fear of Boeheim’s quick hook.

Jardine said Jackson’s goal starting in the summer was to prove himself to Boeheim. As a freshman, he played behind Onuaku and Donte Greene, limiting his minutes to 12.9 per game. He was mainly in there to rest Onuaku and be a stabilizing presence on defense.

But his minutes were tenuous and his role not clearly defined.

‘In high school, he always was confident,’ Jardine said. ‘I think he lost it freshman year. But he gained it back. That’s why I think he’s playing so well, because his confidence is back.’

During the summer, Jardine said Jackson played as much pick-up basketball at Manley as he could. His workout routine was no different from anyone else’s, Jardine said, but Jackson wanted to gain the strength needed to survive as a big man in the Big East.

The postgame was what the staff would focus on improving, simply because they had seen his offensive potential in high school. At times, in his first season at Syracuse, Jackson would catch the ball in the post and make his move immediately, Murphy said. That’s because in high school, Jackson was the tallest and best in the paint. He could get away with it.

The SU coaches taught Jackson how to understand the angles inside the paint and the importance of understanding the situation.

‘Once he started to get low, he started to feel the post player and read the defense, instead of just catching and going,’ Murphy said. ‘You catch, read, get a feel and then make a move. He’s picking it up as he goes.’

And he’s playing his best basketball in the NCAA Tournament. Through the two games, Jackson is averaging 12.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.

Murphy laughs again about Jackson’s prediction before the Arizona State game. The assistant coach is excited to think about the player Jackson can be down the road with even more seasoning.

‘He went from being a garbage guy, trying to get some offensive rebounds, to a guy that we depend on to be a very good defensive player in our zone, rebound the ball,’ Murphy said. ‘We feel comfortable throwing it to him in the post.’

magelb@syr.edu

Published on March 25, 2009 at 12:00 pm