It isn't difficult for Carver's opponents to figure out who Jada DeCreny-Jackson is.
They'll often use "gimmick" defenses designed to stop her because she's Carver's top threat on offense.
DeCreny-Jackson, who averages 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists, faces box-and-one or triangle-and-two defenses so often that she has become adept at adjusting on the fly.
"Jada is a good shooter, especially from 3-point distance, and she has a high basketball I.Q.," coach Toya Davis said. "She knows how to score against all the defensive schemes she faces. But she's not one-dimensional. She can take a defender off the dribble and attack the rim as well as anyone. What she's doing more of right now is running the floor. As a result, she's getting easier shots."
DeCreny-Jackson said: "We're doing a lot better than we had been doing. As a team, we're playing harder and smarter. As long as we do that, we're going to be OK. I've really enjoyed my final high school season. I really like being a part of the group I'm with right now."
One could argue that DeCreny-Jackson's basketball talent is genetic. Her father, Tobe Jackson, is considered one of the best players to come out of Winston-Salem. He was a two-time MVP in the Frank Spencer Classic (1976, 1977) while playing for North Forsyth and won the Frank Spencer Award as the Journal's player of the year in 1977. He closed out his prep career in 1978 as a McDonald's and Converse All-American.
Jackson attends most of his daughter's games. So, it's hardly surprising that she hears the comparisons. "People tell me all the time that I shoot and play the game just like him," DeCreny-Jackson said.
THREE QUESTIONS FOR DECRENY-JACKSON
Q: Where would you go on your dream vacation?
A: Egypt
Q: What profession are you planning to pursue?
A: Dermatologist
Q: What is your favorite subject in school?
A: English
Craig T. Greenlee
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