Fresno State Athletics
A Silent Impact
2/28/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 28, 2001
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State head coach Jerry Tarkanian sleeps well at night and most of the other coaches in the Western Athletic Conference don't.
The 2000-01 Bulldogs have proven themselves to be one of the most talented and successful team to grace the court at Selland Arena, and this skill doesn't stop at the starters.
The young team has proven that age and experience aren't everything. With only three seniors on the roster, the `Dogs have used the skill of their young players to become a dangerous force on the court.
There also is a deep pool of talent on the bench. Tarkanian can freely substitute among his players with very little affect to their success on the court. One such source of backup talent comes from junior guard Damon Jackson.
The San Diego native transferred from the College of the Sequoias where he played for George Tarkanian. Jackson led his team to a 27-10 record and advanced to the state junior college championship game averaging 25 points a game.
"That was a great year for me," Jackson said. "George was a great coach. I really busted my butt out on the court."
With the success of the team this year, Jackson has gotten more playing time than expected. Jackson has averaged 7.9 minutes a game this year and 1.4 rebounds a game. Jackson has come up big in WAC games posting a 42 percent field goal percentage in conference games as well as shooting 75 percent from the free throw line.
"I haven't had a chance to get a whole lot of playing time," Jackson said. "I have to hit the court hard and show what I can do in the little amount of time that I have."
Jackson also made a strong mark on Perris High School, where he graduated. The team hit a 22-7 record his senior year. He averaged 25 points a game and 10 rebounds.
"I loved playing in high school," Jackson said. "Some of the best times of my life were playing sports in high school."
Jackson did not limit his athletic talents to the basketball in high school. He was a letterwinner for football, baseball and track. Jackson excelled in all of these sports and even cleared the 7-0 mark in the high jump his senior year.
"It was important for me to excel, to do my best," Jackson said. "I think it is a waste of time to play on any team and not excel at it. If you are out on a field or court you have to do it right or else you should just sit out in the audience."
Jackson's athletic prowess garnered some recruitment attention by some West Coast powerhouse schools like UCLA and USC but he had other ideas. His attention was focused on basketball at Fresno State, and he would take the path that would get him there.
"I knew Fresno State would get big, especially with Tark here," Jackson said. "I knew I needed some warm-up so I went to COS, but I knew that I would be here eventually."
Jackson's premonition would prove to be right. He is now a member of the most successful Bulldog team at date, and his presence has been a piece of that. Unfortunately for Jackson his playing time is smaller than he would like. The biggest problem for him is the high level of play that the other guards Tito Maddox and Dennis Nathan are putting out now. But for Jackson, the team being too successful is a problem he can deal with.
"I wish I had more court time, everybody who doesn't play the whole game wants more time," Jackson said. "I don't feel competition or jealousy with my own teammates. These guys are all talented. When I get my time I just have to make sure it is as good as I can get it. The better I play, the more time I will get in the future."
Jackson will return next season with the bulk of this year's team, but that is still far in the future for this team. Expectations for this team run high, especially the expectations of the players.
"The WAC will be only a first step," Jackson said. "We are looking to take it far. This is going to be a season that everyone will remember."
The `Dogs are dedicated to their success. They are looking to contain all opponents and do more than just make an appearance at the "Big Dance" this year. They are showing themselves to be an incredible force, and Jackson will be right in the middle of it with
