Jennifer
04-01-2002, 11:15 PM
Here's a pretty good article on Jackson. I think we've only barely seen what she's capable of.
http://www.newsok.com/cgi-bin/show_article?ID=842521&TP=getmarchmadness
Sooner freshman serves notice
2002-04-01
By John Helsley
The Oklahoman
SAN ANTONIO -- Dionnah Jackson didn't start either half for the Sooners on Sunday night.
But there she stood on the floor at the end of a disappointing 82-70 defeat to No. 1-ranked Connecticut.
Not because it was trash time.
Because she deserved to be there.
And she'll be there for years to come -- from start to finish when needed. And that's no small consolation for Oklahoma.
That's reason for optimism with Stacey Dales, LaNeishea Caufield and Rosalind Ross and the three other seniors at the end of groundbreaking careers.
"She's huge," OU coach Sherri Coale said of her wispy 5-foot-9 freshman. "Dionnah is big time. She's a freshman. She's in her first national championship game and she had (Diana) Taurasi. If she doesn't want to be guarded, you can't guard her.
"Dionnah did a great job."
Jackson played 28 critical minutes against UConn, stuck with the massive assignment of holding the Huskies' Taurasi, a second-team All-American who came in averaging a team- leading 14.5 points a game while shooting 50 percent from the field.
Taurasi, who did hit a big bucket late, struggled otherwise, hitting just five of 16 shots from the field with the St. Louis freshman in her jersey.
She also contributed six points, two assists and two steals. But the stats don't tell all. Jackson just has a look. Along with being quick and tough, she seems to possess an awareness, along with vision to make the right pass at the right time.
"D, this whole season, was an unbelievable freshman," said junior forward Caton Hill, who also returns to key OU's rebuilding effort. "She didn't play like a freshman. She's smart, she knows how to play the game.
"This experience is going to be huge, and she's going to come back and be a completely different player."
Jackson said the experience won't be wasted.
"There's so much to take away from this," she said. "Our seniors, they give you so much of that passion for the game, that love for the game they have.
"I'll be ready for the next time we're in this situation. You learn playing against good players and playing with good players."
The Sooners are losing good players.
Dales and Caufield were the cornerstones of OU's rise to prominence. The other seniors played their roles as well.
"We are losing great players," Jackson said. "But our freshman, Antoinette Wadsworth, she tore her ACL this year, but she is determined to be in this situation next year. Theresa Schuknecht, a transfer from Arizona State, she's a great player. We have Caton Hill back. I'm looking forward to playing with great players."
And the Sooners can look forward to next year.
Jackson progressed from a pup to a prime-time player. Not much of an offensive threat through the first half of the season, she emerged as a savvy scorer during OU's late run.
Those close to the program say there's more to come.
"This year, she was sort of support, sometimes a role player, sometimes she needed to score," Hill said. "But next year, she's going to switch that gear and she's going to be looking to score, because we're going to need her to."
Jackson said she's up for it. And, she said, the Sooners will be as well.
"I know for the six seniors, this is it for them," Jackson said. "I share everything they brought to this team. And it will all be portrayed next year."
"Don't count us out. The tournament's going to Atlanta and my dad lives there, so I'm really trying to get there."
[This message has been edited by Jennifer (edited 04-01-2002).]
http://www.newsok.com/cgi-bin/show_article?ID=842521&TP=getmarchmadness
Sooner freshman serves notice
2002-04-01
By John Helsley
The Oklahoman
SAN ANTONIO -- Dionnah Jackson didn't start either half for the Sooners on Sunday night.
But there she stood on the floor at the end of a disappointing 82-70 defeat to No. 1-ranked Connecticut.
Not because it was trash time.
Because she deserved to be there.
And she'll be there for years to come -- from start to finish when needed. And that's no small consolation for Oklahoma.
That's reason for optimism with Stacey Dales, LaNeishea Caufield and Rosalind Ross and the three other seniors at the end of groundbreaking careers.
"She's huge," OU coach Sherri Coale said of her wispy 5-foot-9 freshman. "Dionnah is big time. She's a freshman. She's in her first national championship game and she had (Diana) Taurasi. If she doesn't want to be guarded, you can't guard her.
"Dionnah did a great job."
Jackson played 28 critical minutes against UConn, stuck with the massive assignment of holding the Huskies' Taurasi, a second-team All-American who came in averaging a team- leading 14.5 points a game while shooting 50 percent from the field.
Taurasi, who did hit a big bucket late, struggled otherwise, hitting just five of 16 shots from the field with the St. Louis freshman in her jersey.
She also contributed six points, two assists and two steals. But the stats don't tell all. Jackson just has a look. Along with being quick and tough, she seems to possess an awareness, along with vision to make the right pass at the right time.
"D, this whole season, was an unbelievable freshman," said junior forward Caton Hill, who also returns to key OU's rebuilding effort. "She didn't play like a freshman. She's smart, she knows how to play the game.
"This experience is going to be huge, and she's going to come back and be a completely different player."
Jackson said the experience won't be wasted.
"There's so much to take away from this," she said. "Our seniors, they give you so much of that passion for the game, that love for the game they have.
"I'll be ready for the next time we're in this situation. You learn playing against good players and playing with good players."
The Sooners are losing good players.
Dales and Caufield were the cornerstones of OU's rise to prominence. The other seniors played their roles as well.
"We are losing great players," Jackson said. "But our freshman, Antoinette Wadsworth, she tore her ACL this year, but she is determined to be in this situation next year. Theresa Schuknecht, a transfer from Arizona State, she's a great player. We have Caton Hill back. I'm looking forward to playing with great players."
And the Sooners can look forward to next year.
Jackson progressed from a pup to a prime-time player. Not much of an offensive threat through the first half of the season, she emerged as a savvy scorer during OU's late run.
Those close to the program say there's more to come.
"This year, she was sort of support, sometimes a role player, sometimes she needed to score," Hill said. "But next year, she's going to switch that gear and she's going to be looking to score, because we're going to need her to."
Jackson said she's up for it. And, she said, the Sooners will be as well.
"I know for the six seniors, this is it for them," Jackson said. "I share everything they brought to this team. And it will all be portrayed next year."
"Don't count us out. The tournament's going to Atlanta and my dad lives there, so I'm really trying to get there."
[This message has been edited by Jennifer (edited 04-01-2002).]