Sophomore SF Tray Jackson Looking To Take The Next Step
Though many will be focused on senior guard Ty Groce for Ypsilanti Lincoln this season, the Railsplitters actually have a handful of players expected to make an impact this year. The roster may be young, but with some development, it…
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Continue ReadingThough many will be focused on senior guard Ty Groce for Ypsilanti Lincoln this season, the Railsplitters actually have a handful of players expected to make an impact this year. The roster may be young, but with some development, it could be one of the better teams in the division.
One of the players who will be looking to take the next step is 6'6 sophomore forward Tray Jackson.
Last season, Jackson was a young contributor on an experienced Lincoln team. Where he really become a household name was this summer, as Prep Hoops Michigan ranked as the No. 14 player in the state for the 2018 class.
Nonetheless, even with that performance, Jackson spent much of the offseason trying to work to help his team even more this year.
“I was in the gym every for at least three hours working on my craft,” Jackson told Prep Hoops Michigan. “I’ve been working to improve all the parts of my game such as footwork on defense, my jumpshot, my rebounding, and my physicality, and passing.”
On top of that, Jackson is hoping to take a step forward in the mental aspects of the game as well.
“At this point, I’m trying to build a better basketball IQ and learn to be more of a facilitator,” Jackson provided. “Learning how to score without the ball always being in my hands. Studying a lot about the game and just learning from the people around me and trying to be the best player I can.”
Jackson is also working with a new coach this season. Jesse Davis took over the program over the summer and has been focusing on making a solid transition. Jackson told Prep Hoops Michigan that the transition has “been great” and that Davis has brought a good change in the “atmosphere and energy” of the program.
Though Jackson hasn’t been receiving a ton of college attention at this point, he’s focused primarily on helping his team. A few games he’s particularly looking forward to this season is the home opener against Milan, the matchup with Belleville, and of course, the two games against Ypsilanti.
It’s going to be an interesting season for Ypsilanti Lincoln and one of the key players involved in the outcome should be Tray Jackson. He still has some areas he’s working to improve, but with a new coach and a fresh outlook, the sky is the limit.