Ashlon Jackson’s shot is a weapon: When the 6-foot Blue Devil steps up to the arc, opponents know it's a threat.
In her third season with the Blue Devils, Jackson has become a dependable game-changer for the team, as evidenced by recent 23-point performances against N.C. State and Miami. For Jackson, the journey to becoming a player capable of changing the game’s momentum didn’t happen in an instant; It was slow but steady growth.
No. 16 on the 2022 HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings, the China, Texas, native arrived at Duke ready to dominate. Recognized for her consistent and versatile shooting in high school, particularly from beyond the arc, Duke’s top recruit entered the 2022-23 season with high expectations.
However, anticipation lingered about the impact Jackson could have on Duke’s roster. Despite playing in all 33 of Duke’s games, her 3.2 points per game, 1.0 rebound per game and shooting percentage of 31.5% weren’t as game-defining as fans had hoped.
The offseason would be an opportunity for Jackson to refine her play. In a preseason interview, Jackson discussed where her game was heading for the 2023-24 season. Scoring wasn’t at the forefront.
“That's not really my focus. My focus is just winning, impacting winning, however that looks,” Jackson said. “You can get a shot from anywhere, but perfecting that, being more aggressive, being more vocal … everything will fall into place.”
And fall into place it did.
In her sophomore year, Jackson reminded everyone why she deserved her place as one of the top players to watch in her class. Nearly tripling her previous average, she executed 9.2 points per game in her sophomore season. Her rebounds more than doubled to an average of 2.5 per game as Jackson elevated her defensive game. She recorded a surge in defensive rebounds, rising from 32 to 81 in her second season repping Duke blue.
With double the experience and double the average minutes on the court — rising from 13.3 to 29.2 on average — Jackson’s presence on the Duke team became undeniable. In the rivalry game against North Carolina Feb. 11, 2024, she shifted the momentum to lead Duke to a 68-60 home victory. Jackson’s leadership became crucial to the win.
“I thought Ashlon Jackson was terrific making those passes, you know, we kind of went with her at point guard late,” head coach Kara Lawson said. “I went with Ash because I thought Ash was making really good decisions as a ball handler and screening actions.”
Now, as the 2023-24 season unfolds, Jackson is a serious scorer on the court. The trilogy of recent games — N.C. State, Clemson and Miami — illustrate the explosive nature of her junior season.
“It's just the faith that my teammates and my coaches have in me,” Jackson said after Duke’s Sunday win against Miami. “Each and every single day, my teammates competed against me, and vice versa, and just the faith that they have in me, the belief that they have in me, fueled me all the way through.”
To start the week, Jackson managed 23 points against the Wolfpack, but a difficult final quarter hindered her ability to execute a game-defining play as the Blue Devils struggled to take the lead. Against Clemson, Jackson returned to her more consistent precision, bumping her in-game field-goal efficiency up to 50%, compared to the 32% she shot the game prior.
Jackson ended the week with a bang, exploding on the court to drain 23 points, five of which were shot from beyond the arc for a 62.5% accuracy. As her shots kept falling, Duke’s lead grew to a dominant 90-49 victory.
“Ashlon, I thought, really set the tone for us offensively, knocking down those threes,” Lawson said.
As the regular season continues, Jackson’s stat line is rounding out to reflect another year of growth. Currently averaging 13 points per game, she boasts the second-highest 3-point percentage on the team at 42.4% and is shooting 40.8% from the field. The impact Jackson has on the court shines.
Jackson’s dedication to improvement, driven by a mindset of constant growth instilled by Lawson, has transformed her into one of Duke’s most reliable threats on the court. Her journey of development doesn’t end there. For Jackson, it’s about continual progress.
“I'd say every single day, we work for improvement. We're still not all the way where we want to be, but every single day, [we're] just 1% better,” Jackson said. “Each game is 0-0, that's our mindset.”
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