An unfamiliar face may be spotted today with the women's basketball team. Tiffany Jackson, a senior at Duncanville High School and the No. 2 recruit in the nation, is making her official visit to Duke this weekend.
The Texas-native attended Lincoln High School in Dallas the previous three years, but transferred her senior year to Duncanville, presumably because the school is closer to her home. The first-team All-Area player led her former high school to the state championship game her junior year.
The All-Star Girls Report has ranked Jackson the second best senior in the country. Recruiting guru Brett McCormick has nothing to say but praise about the versatile 6-foot-3 swing player.
"She is a lot like Iciss Tillis," McCormick said. "She can play any position--center, wing, power forward. She can shoot or play post inside. She is not a ball hog and is basically the kind of player you want to recruit. She also has a great personality."
The senior is also considering top basketball schools Texas, Texas Tech, Florida and Tennessee. She met with head coach Gail Goestenkors and assistant coach Gale Valley earlier this week before heading up to Duke.
Though Jackson's size is a key factor in her success, her coach also applauds her for her passion for the game.
"She plays hard all the time," said Duncanville head coach Cathy Self-Morgan. "She is defensively strong and runs the court well. She's good at getting the ball in the hoop."
In order to make the step up to the next level, Jackson may need to improve her three-point shooting and ball handling on the outside. Her size will work to her advantage, though she will need to get stronger to be competitive in a top collegiate program.
"She is doubled up a lot, but ends up bringing the ball down the court by herself," Self-Morgan said. "In that sense, she needs to work on her ball handling skills."
Jackson, who has already made quite a splash at her new high school, will be under the close watch of college coaches this season. She provides a tough matchup on the court and her likeable personality adds to her appeal.
"I've only known her six weeks," Self-Morgan said. "Personally, she's a great kid and she fits right in. She's pleasant, friendly, loves to play and doesn't have a big head. She is popular with the teachers and kids--even the non-athletes."
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