Tuesday, March 21, 2000
Cooper, Jackson tough 1-2 punch
They will carry Purcell Marian's hopes in Div. II
BY DAVE SCHUTTE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Often when a high school basketball coach is blessed with two superstars, problems can outweigh successes.
This hasn't been the case at Purcell Marian where coach Mike Gergen has blended the talents of Jaime Cooper and Keith Jackson into a solid one-two punch that could carry the Cavaliers to a state title.
On Thursday in Columbus, Purcell Marian will go after the Division II state championship, meeting Cambridge in the state semifinals at the Jerome Schottenstein Center.
The Cavaliers' only other trip to the state final four was in 1985 when they defeated Cleveland East 59-50 in the semifinals and Mansfield Senior 65-57 in the Class AAA finale.
“I've never had two players on the same team with this much talent,” Gergen said. “We run a motion offense and sometimes they're too unselfish and make that extra pass rather than shoot the ball.”
Cooper, a 6-foot-4 senior forward/center, averaged 14.9 points and seven plus rebounds. He also stood out as a wide receiver for the football team and could play either sport in college.
“Keith and I understand what it takes to win,” Cooper said. “Our common goal is to win the state championship and we know that the only way we can accomplish that is to play as a team.”
Cooper is rated as a major college football prospect but a mix-up with the NCAA Clearing House cooled off many schools who were interested.
“I had a few problems with grades but everything has come together,” Cooper said. “I've already passed both college entrance tests (ACT and SAT) but I plan to wait before signing in one of the sports.”
Jackson, a 6-foot-5 forward/center, leads the Cavaliers in scoring with a 16.9 average while pulling off a team high and Greater Catholic League best 8.7 rebounds.
“Jaime was my mentor and role model when I was a freshman,” Jackson said. “We've been playing together since the seventh grade and have been good friends for years.”
This friendship has carried onto the basketball court where these two high powered inside players will be the targets of a Cambridge team that plays several zone defenses in order to slow the tempo. Gergen is most impressed with Jackson's ability to handle pressure situations.
“Keith stays calm and shows tremendous poise on the court,” Gergen said. “When you look at him playing the game, he flows naturally and that's when he plays his best.”
Jackson, an improved outside shooter, is an outstanding one-on-one player. “Keith can penetrate the lane and has learned to get off the shot,” Gergen said. “Teams often double team him and when that happens, he's good at passing to the open person.”
Besides Xavier and UC, Michigan State, Ohio State and Dayton have shown interest in Jackson.
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