FORT SMITH -- Aahliyah Jackson has a smile that can light up a room.
She has a shooting touch that can do the same thing to opponents.
At a glance
Aahliyah Jackson
SCHOOL Fort Smith Northside
POSITION Forward/guard
HEIGHT 6-0
CLASS Senior
LAST SEASON Averaged 16 points and 7.5 rebounds.
THE SKINNY Has orally committed to Texas A&M. Jackson transferred to Northside from Edmond (Okla.) Santa Fe High School before last season. She plays for the Texas Elite Adidas summer team.
QUOTING COACH RICKEY SMITH She’s a very strong, very powerful player. She’s a strong defender, plus she can shoot the ball. She can play outside, or we can bring her inside because she’s so strong. She’s a hard matchup.”
Jackson, a 6-0 senior at Fort Smith Northside, returns for her second season with the Lady Bears after lighting up opponents for averages of 16.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last season as the perennial powerhouse program posted a 27-2 record.
While Northside had a terrific season by any standards, it fell short of program's lofty expectations with a second-round loss to North Little Rock in the Class 7A state tournament.
Jackson is determined not to let that happen again this season.
"The thing I think we'll be a lot better at is defense," she said. "I think we're going to be more of a pressing team this year. We have the speed this year."
Jackson won't have the huge decision of where she will play college basketball hanging over her this season. Earlier this year she made an oral commitment to Texas A&M and Coach Gary Blair.
Northside Coach Rickey Smith said Jackson is the "highest-ranked, most heavily recruited kid" he's ever had. That's a big deal considering the number of Smith's players who have gone on to play college basketball.
"She's a very strong, very powerful player," Smith said. "She's a strong defender, plus she can shoot the ball. She can play outside, or we can bring her inside because she's so strong. She's a hard matchup."
Jackson said she chose Texas A&M for several reasons.
"It wasn't just Coach Blair, but the whole community," she said. "I bonded with the team. They welcomed me in. It just felt right for me and my family."
Jackson said she worked hard on her game over the summer, concentrating on areas of weakness such as her perimeter shooting.
"I wanted to improve shooting the three," she said. "I spent a lot of time in the gym working on that and my ball-handling."
Smith will use Jackson all over the court depending on the situation, like he did last season. There are times she will play inside, or she can help bring the ball up the court when teams press.
"She's a very unselfish player," Smith said. " She looks to give up the basketball a lot, probably more so than I wish. She's just a very, very talented kid. She's been blessed with a lot of ability."
Jackson said she first realized as a ninth-grader at Edmond (Okla.) Santa Fe that basketball was something she should focus on.
Her father, Johnny Jackson, a former college soccer player, worked with her on basketball drills and a trainer convinced her that she could become an elite basketball player.
"I started playing basketball when I was about 5, but at that time it was just something to keep me busy," Jackson said. "As I got older, it just grew on me and I wanted to get better at it."
Jackson admits that defending state champion Fayetteville will be the favorite in the 7A-West Conference this season.
"That's going to be the team to beat this year," she said.
Jackson will likely slide into a small forward role in college, but for now she loves playing all over the court.
"Playing everywhere helps my game and allows me to learn more," she said. "It helps me see the game from different perspectives.
"I love defense. I'm a defensive-type player, but if I have to score, I can do that."
Sports on 11/08/2015