For Jackson, success is about balance and options
SVHS basketbastar gets it done in the classroom, too
By Stephen Dorman sdorman@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers EQUIPPED FOR THE FUTURE- Simi Valley High incoming senior Lorne Jackson has the grades and the game to play basketball in the Ivy League. This weekend, Jackson and his mom, Lyle, will visit Harvard. He said he plans on waiting several months before making a final decision on college.

Simi Valley High's Lorne Jackson is keeping his options open.

As standout guard on the Pioneers boys' basketball team, and super student in the classroom, Jackson, who will be a senior in the fall, is receiving a lot of interest from some of the finest universities this nation has to offer.

Ivy League schools such as Columbia, Yale, Penn and Brown are actively recruiting Jackson. This weekend he'll take a trip to Harvard.

If he wants to stay closer to home, Cal State Northridge, UC Santa Barbara and Loyola Marymount are all on the radar.

There's one California university, however, that he'd probably say yes to this moment if they offered him a scholarship.

"I really want to go to Stanford, but we'll see about that," said Jackson, who averaged 16.6 points, 6.2 assists, five rebounds and 3.9 steals per game as a junior.

"My mom wants me to stay out (west), and my dad wants me to go anywhere," he said. "They're both big on academic schools."

Jackson said his mother, Lyle, has spent hours on the phone with coaches from Harvard. She plans on accompanying her son during this weekend's visit to the Cambridge-based university.

"She's really building a relationship with them, too, which is always nice," he said.

Of course, if college recruiters really wanted an inside edge in landing Jackson, they should also consider offering a scholarship to his paternal twin, Langston, a star running back at SVHS.

"He's getting a lot of looks from Pac10 schools for football," Jackson said of his brother. "Nevada is trying to get both of us to go there. I think that's pretty cool, and I know my parents want that to happen really badly."

The primary reason Jackson has so many college options is because of the hard work he's put forth in the classroom during his time at Simi Valley. After all, there are many talented high school basketball players, but few have an academic resume like Jackson's.

He carries a 3.6 grade point average, ranking in the top 100 students at SVHS. Jackson is also a member of the National Society of High School Scholars and was honored by the United States Achievement Academy.

Last week, the Simi Valley City Council and Mayor Paul Miller recognized Jackson for his performance in school and on the basketball court.

Christian Aurand, the head varsity boys' basketball coach at Simi Valley as well as a history teacher, said Jackson has already positioned himself for a bright future in college.

"The nice thing Lorne has been able to do is give his highway of choices a lot more lanes," Aurand said. "He has been very disciplined in the classroom, which is a little bit abnormal from the normal teenager. Because he's been disciplined, he's being rewarded."

Jackson isn't all about books and tests.

On the basketball court, he's a fierce competitor whose motor runs high, a perfect point guard for the Pioneers' upanddown, high-powered offensive attack.

"His skill set is very good and continues to get better and better," Aurand said. "He's got great court savvy and vision and can pass the ball really well. The guys who tend to have a high IQ in the classroom also tend to have a high basketball IQ as well."

Last season, Jackson won a plethora of oncourt awards, including being named first-team All-Ventura County. The biggest honor, he said, was making the second-team All-State junior squad.

"I didn't think that many people recognized me," Jackson said. "I just thought I was a local guy, but a lot of people started to see my skills, and I was happy about that."

Jackson said he plans to wait a few more months before officially committing to a college. In the meantime, he'll play in Simi Valley's summer basketball league as well compete with Double Pump, an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) travel team based out of Northridge.

"I'll probably make a college decision at the end of the next basketball season," Jackson said. "If I choose now all the other schools will go and pick someone else up. I want to keep a good relationship with the schools that are recruiting me now, and hopefully by next year I'll have my spot."