Jackson focuses on the bigger picture

By CRISTINA LEDRA

NEW PORT RICHEY - When Anthony Jackson has looked up at the scoreboard following all but one game this season, his Gulf Buccaneers have come out on the short end.

When he looks around at his teammates, he sees inexperience trying desperately to climb up to his level and help him out.

In his neighborhood, he feels the pull of the wrong road in life trying to bring him down.

But when he speaks, he speaks in big terms.

Bigger than the court, bigger than the gym, bigger than Gulf High School, New Port Richey and even Florida.

He's a senior. He's great and on the verge of greater.

"I have a lot of friends at Gulf High School and a lot of friends around the area that play sports and I just look at myself as another one of them that are going to get out of this small area," Jackson said. "I just want to go out and see a different side of the world."

The whole world to Anthony Jackson is dangling right in front of him, mere fractions of a grade-point average away.

Two years ago Jackson made a name for himself in an Illinois tournament and now that he is in his last year, those Illinois universities are all hoping he chooses them.

They were drawn to the 6-foot point guard's ability and intensity. This season he's averaging 26.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals a game.

Last summer, universities in Florida took notice, too.

There's a comfort in that because there isn't much to be excited about back in New Port Richey.

The Bucs expected to lose one starter this season.

They instead lost four. All except Jackson.

Now the Bucs are struggling, trying to get another win. Their latest heartbreaker was Tuesday night in a one-point loss to South Sumter.

"That's tough when we went 8-1 in the summer league and we only lost to East Lake by a couple of points," Jackson said. "Even though we've lost all these games I still see we have players that can play."

Jackson knows they can be better but sometimes the fact that he's so far ahead can be a problem, too.

"We don't know each other yet as teammates on the court and we're trying to all get on the same page," Gulf coach Steve Feldman said. "What tends to happen with Anthony being a quality player, sometimes people just want to stand around and watch him do his thing."

For a fierce competitor who can't stand to lose, that can get frustrating.

"It's hard to play with him sometimes because he expects so much out of us," teammate Kyle Scianna said.

Scianna does admit it's fair for Jackson to push them the way he does.

But Jackson doesn't get angry. Because as much as he hates losing, he knows he's close to scoring a victory in his biggest battle to shake all the bad influences in his life, trying to keep him from realizing his dreams.

"He's been smart enough to stay away from that even though I know what the world is like today," Feldman said. "He's focused because he sees that light at the end of the tunnel for him. He sees that come heck or high water that as long as he keeps his nose clean, there are a lot of schools that are interested in him."