GG Jackson Displays Growth With Performance Against Auburn
"The freshman wall" is a slogan utilized to describe a stretch of games where a true freshman college basketball player hits a proverbial wall.
This period usually takes place during conference play for freshmen, and that's been the case for GG Jackson, as after averaging 16.9 points in his first fourteen games, the 18-year-old averaged only 9 points over the Gamecocks' past four contests, shooting just 25 percent from the floor.
While South Carolina could not break their losing skid on their home floor against the Auburn Tigers on Saturday, the Columbia native put together his best statistical performance all season. He scored a career-high 30 points while grabbing eight boards and blocking two shots.
Jackson showed consistent aggression with his willingness to drive to the basket, which head coach Lamont Paris has harped on all season, especially in this recent slate of SEC games. It's a facet of Jackson's game that he's been working on since his scoreless outing against Tennessee.
“Just being coachable, caused the Tennessee game I definitely settled a lot, and I coulda tried to get to the basket to get fouled. Coach Tanner Bronson, he works out with me every other morning and we just work on ripping the ball and getting to the basket.”
A hard part about being Jackson's age and being a celebrity athlete at the same time is being able to block out the cruel and negative remarks people will hurl your way. It's something that started this week. According to Jackson, he's worked hard to try and change so that it's not affecting his mental psyche when game day arrives.
“I wanted to challenge myself mentally, and not try to worry so much about social media [and] what my numbers [were] last game, cause you’re just being a selfish player when you’re just worried about yourself.”
It speaks volumes that Jackson can recognize these challenges that are unique to him compared to his teammates. Furthermore, he's intentional about changing his approach to the game so that he can progress continuously.
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