Walter's Basketball Showdown

THE JACKSON SHOW
Walter Jackson ignites Weston Ranch in first-place showdown
There was a lot of talk about “statements” heading into Friday night’s boys basketball game pitting Sierra, who had started the season 5-0 in Valley Oak League play and Weston Ranch, whose only loss came at the hands of the same Ceres team Sierra handled easily on its home court.
Statement game?
When the final buzzer sounded and the smoke had cleared, the scoreboard did all the talking: Weston Ranch 68, Sierra 43.
Statement made.
“This was a big game in league, we needed this one,” Weston Ranch guard Brandon Silva said. “They were the only unbeaten, and now it’s all even.”
The Cougars came out of the tunnel prior to shootaround focused and ready to handle their business.
After Walter Jackson won the tip and the ball found its way into Mic’eal Thomas’ hands, Weston Ranch went to work.
The Cougars wasted no time pulling ahead, after James Nunnally sank a layup and drew contact for an and-1 opportunity just 10 seconds into the contest, it was clear that the Timberwolves could settle for nothing less than their A-game.
When Sierra hit just one of its first 16 shots, and finished the first quarter down 13-4, the handwriting was on the wall.
Jackson collected two fouls just 44 seconds into the contest which forced Cougars head coach Bill Slikker to call on Reggie Spiers for the majority of the first half.
Spiers played well in Jackson’s absence, collecting four rebounds in the first quarter and sinking a 3-point bomb when the T’Wolves left him alone in the corner.
“There was no way I was putting Jackson back in the first half after he got the two fouls,” Slikker said. “This was just too big of a game for us to risk it. But Reggie was big for us. He did a great job of filling Walter’s shoes, especially in that first quarter.”
While Jackson sat, Sierra took advantage in the second quarter.
Marvin Cotton scored 11 of his team-high 17 points in the period and helped the T’wolves claw back into the game at 30-25 heading into the locker room.
Despite the fact that Sierra had gained ground on the Cougars with Jackson on the bench, Weston Ranch was satisfied at the break knowing that in the second half they would be back to full strength.
“To go into the halftime up five with Walter sitting 14 of 15 minutes, that was phenomenal,” Slikker said.
When the third quarter began, what was previously a High School basketball game turned quickly into the “Walter Jackson Show.”
At the 5:27 mark in the third, and the Cougars up by ten, James Nunnally grabbed a rebound and threw it to half court where Jackson stood waiting.
Everyone in the house knew what was coming: Statement time.
Jackson charged toward the lane and from six feet out soared to the rim with two hands and threw down a jaw-dropping tomahawk slam that sent the Cougars’ contingent into hysterics, and left the Sierra faithful shaking their heads.
Jackson wasn’t done there.
The Cougars’ forward collected 11 rebounds, all in the second half, to go along with his game-high 21 points and put the cherry on top of an epic third-quarter with a tip-jam off the offensive glass with 20 seconds left.
Jackson scored 14 of the Cougars’ 25 third-quarter points and by the time the fourth quarter began, Weston Ranch had turned a five-point lead into 17 at 55-28.
“I got in a little foul trouble there in the first half,” Jackson said. “I was getting kind of cold sitting on the bench, I just wanted to get out on the floor and help my team win.”
And that’s exactly what he did.
Jackson led the way for the Cougars again in the fourth, finishing off a pristine night with seven points in the final frame.
Slikker cleared his bench with three minutes left in the game, and Jackson, along with the rest of the Cougars’ starters, were greeted by a standing ovation.
When asked after the game if the Cougars’ win was a statement, Weston Ranch players were quick to deflect the hype.
“They wanted to make the statement,” Nunnally said. “We just wanted to come out and play our game. Play hard. Play smart.”
Said Silva, “There was no (talking). We just wanted to come out and play hard and smart. Handle our business.”
Jackson wasn’t the only Cougar with an impressive performance, Weston Ranch got contributions all across the board.
Nunnally scored 14 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists.
Jerrell Walker was on an island in the post, outplaying every big man Sierra sent at him and finishing with 11 points and six boards.
Silva scored eight for the Cougars, but more importantly, led a stout defensive effort.
After Cotton’s 11-point second quarter, Slikker assigned Silva to Sierra’s best player.
The Cougars’ shooting guard stuck in Cotton’s hip pocket for the rest of night, holding the T’Wolves best scoring threat to just five second-half points.
“Cotton’s different than everybody else because he’s left-handed,” Silva said. “I wasn’t used to it but we had to just step up our defense.
“Defense wins championships.”
Despite the loss, the Timberwolves (5-1, 11-7) are still tied with the Cougars (5-1, 14-5) for first place in the VOL, and will look to rebound at Sonora Wednesday.
The Cougars travel to Oakdale.
http://www.mantecabulletin.com/articles/2007/01/20/sports/sports1.txt

Jackson rises, shines as Weston Ranch rolls
Cougars' star roars in second half after sitting with early foul trouble
By Stephen Roberson, STAFF WRITER
Article Last Updated: 01/20/2007 02:39:51 AM PST


MANTECA — Walter Jackson is a big-game player.
So when Weston Ranch High's standout senior forward picked up his second personal foul just 44 seconds into Friday night's pivotal Valley Oak League game at Sierra, he was forced to sit and watch the rest of the first half.

When Jackson hit the floor to start the second half, he tore into the Timberwolves like a caged animal who had finally been released.

Jackson had 11 rebounds and 21 points, lifting the Cougars over the host Timberwolves 68-43, handing Sierra (11-7, 5-1) its first league loss.

Weston Ranch (15-4, 4-1) grabbed a share of first place.

Jackson's absence didn't make much of an impact in the first quarter and early in the second. Sierra hit just one of its first 16 shots and trailed 19-4 with 6:02 left in the first half.
But the Timberwolves rallied, going 9-for-11 from the field to cut the deficit to 30-25 heading into halftime.

"At halftime we talked about coming out in the third quarter and trying to put them back down like we did in that first quarter," Weston Ranch coach Bill Slikker said. "I looked around and in the eyes of the guys, and they knew Walter was coming back in.

"I saw that look in Walter's eye, and I thought something special may happen."
It did.
Over the first 3:26, Jackson had seven points, including a monster dunk and a three-point play.
He dominated early in the fourth quarter as well, scoring seven of the Cougars' first nine points with two putback baskets and a three-point play.
"I was getting a little cold sitting on the bench," Jackson said. "It was just important that I come out with the intensity my team needed to win.

Slikker said the stakes — a share of first place on the line near the halfway point of the league season — meant he never considered putting Jackson back on the floor before halftime.

"It was too important a game. I'm not going to risk that," Slikker said. "I have faith in our team. As long as we had the lead there was no way I was putting him back in."

James Nunnally, who picked up the slack by scoring 11 of his 14 points in the first half, dismissed any talk of Friday being a statement game.
"(Sierra) wanted to make a statement, we just wanted to play our game," he said. "We didn't want to talk. We let the scoreboard do the talking."

Marvin Cotton had 16 points for the Timberwolves, Nevin Sahota had nine, and Adonis Brown had eight.
Brown said Weston Ranch's third-quarter run was particularly frustrating after the Timberwolves trimmed a 15-point deficit to five to close the first half.
"We tried to pick it up and hit some big shots in the second quarter, but it just wasn't enough," he said.

http://www.insidebayarea.com/trivalleyherald/prepsports/ci_5051989

By Kevin Niendorf
Record Correspondent
January 20, 2007 6:00 AM
MANTECA - Just 44 seconds into Friday night's showdown for first place in the Valley Oak League against Sierra High, Weston Ranch forward Walter Jackson was sent to the bench with his second foul.
He unleashed his wrath in the second half with a 21-point, 10-rebound effort to turn a close game into an unexpected 68-43 blowout for the Cougars (15-4, 5-1). The 25-point victory now gives Weston Ranch a share of the VOL lead with Sierra (11-7, 4-1), which broke its five-game winning streak.
"This is the first time we've come in here and walked away with a win like that," Cougars coach Bill Slikker said. "Walter was hungry from sitting on the bench; it was like he hadn't gotten to play in a year."
Weston Ranch has now won five consecutive games - the last four by an average of 32 points - thanks largely to its tenacious defense. It was prevalent once again Friday as Sierra converted on just one of its first 16 shots from the field. By then, the Cougars were up 19-4 midway through the second period.
Sierra coach Scott Thomason saw his offense sputtering, so he called on senior Marvin Cotton to take action. Cotton scored 10 of his team-high 16 points over the next three minutes and cut into Weston Ranch's lead. A 3-pointer by teammate Aaron Gonzalez left Sierra down 30-25 at the break.
"I was just upset we weren't able to run our offense like we had in practice," Thomason said. "And, obviously, we weren't making our shots."
Enter a motivated Jackson, who led a 10-0 run to open the third quarter, which was highlighted by a two-handed, slam-dunk off a cherry-pick pass from James Nunnally. Jackson had 12 points during the ensuing 21-1 run for a 51-26 Cougar lead.
"I wanted to go out there with a lot of intensity and try to get my team the win," Jackson said. "We wanted to play Weston Ranch basketball by working together, looking good on the court, and playing with a lot of pride."
According to Slikker, Jackson's domination was only half the reason for the blowout. The defensive move to put Brandon Silva on Cotton in the third period produced no points by Sierra's leader.
"Brandon did a phenomenal job because Marvin was killing us," Slikker said. "I don't think Sierra had seen defense like that."
With seven games remaining in the regular season, Thomason said his team shouldn't have trouble coping with its first league loss.
"We have seniors who, I'm sure, were a little embarrassed by the loss here at home," he said. "But this one game won't define us; hopefully it will motivate us."

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070120/A_SPORTS09/701200329

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