NEW YORK — It wasn’t fitting.
It just wasn’t. Not for Luke Jackson. Not for the talent he brought to Eugene.
Definitely not for what he brought to the Oregon program.
Oregon’s loss to Michigan in the semifinals Tuesday at Madison Square Garden was not the way Jackson was destined to go out. Especially with the Creswell native on the bench for the final 3:22 of the game.
The senior scored 17 points against the Wolverines, just four of those in the second half. When the Ducks needed him the most, he couldn’t step up.
But no blame should fall on him. When the Wolverines proved they were too athletic for the Ducks, all the dominoes fell, including the biggest — Jackson.
He tried. Oh did he ever. But he couldn’t get past the Michigan defenders and into the lane, as Colorado allowed in the second half and George Mason and Notre Dame allowed all game.
No, the Ducks went up against a more talented team.
Jackson was the perfect player at the right time for head coach Ernie Kent’s program. He brought the team an image of durability, strength and a winning swagger.
He and the other seniors always said they remember what it was like their freshman season when the Ducks failed to make it to the postseason. They remember the heartache, the boredom, the jealousy of seeing other players from other schools live their dreams.
Jackson said he wouldn’t do that again. He wouldn’t stay at home when he could have fun winning more games on the road. Even if it were a one-and-done in the 2003 NCAA Tournament and an NIT appearance this season, it showed Oregon’s program is for real.
Yet, it would be easy to remember Jackson for his last game. The image permanently burned into the pupil of him sitting on the bench, his head buried in his hands, only his hair visible.
Yeah, that would be the easy thing to do.
Whatever it takes, make sure not to do that. Remember him for the dunks, the hair flapping as he drove to the basket or his strut as he walked to the bench after draining a three-pointer.
Remember him for the leaning three-pointer with 20 seconds left that tied the game against Colorado. Remember how he scored the final six points of the game against Notre Dame.
Think about the time he suffered a deep laceration to his right ring finger against Washington last season. Then remember he came back to score 27 points against UCLA a week later even though the injury required 13 stitches.
In the end, it turned out that the loss of Luke Ridnour to the NBA did have a direct effect on Oregon’s NCAA Tournament hopes. Jackson, after all, couldn’t do it all alone, even though he tried numerous times this season.
The two were perfect for each other; a balance that drove the Ducks to postseason success.
If Aaron Brooks doesn’t go down for 10 games, maybe Oregon goes to the NCAA Tournament. Maybe Jackson makes the final 10 for the John R. Wooden award instead of being cut from the list prior to the game against the Wolverines.
The final loss was the end for Jackson, but also the beginning. The beginning of what could be an incredible career for the player that made Oregon basketball what it is today.
With that will come challenges for the Creswell native, most he probably will be prepared for. He will be tested and his true mettle will solve those issues.
We all know what Jackson could do at the college level.
Now it’s time to see what he can do on the biggest stage.