Senior Johnny Jackson, in the midst of a battle against Hodgkins Lymphoma, scored a game-high 21 points as Ridgewood topped North Bergen on Monday.
RIDGEWOOD – Fifteen years ago Ridgewood head coach Mike Troy decided to put together a Coaches vs Cancer game to help fundraise for someone in need during their fight. A decade-and-a-half ago there was no way that Troy could have known that the benefit game would be held for one of his players.
Johnny Jackson has done about as much as a high school basketball player could accomplish.
What you do know about Jackson is that he is a dynamic All-County guard who led Ridgewood to a section title and also became the school’s all-time leading scorer. What you may not know is that Jackson just recently had his 10th chemo treatment in his battle with Stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma. Remarkably, through this debilitating fight, Jackson has not only played, but is cementing his status as one of North Jersey’s top guards. He is also a true inspiration to teammates, coaches and fans alike.
Jackson hit all five of his first quarter shots for 11 of his game-high 21 points as Ridgewood cruised to a 64-32 win over North Bergen in the 2024 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Ridgewood High School on Monday.
“For Johnny to be able to play through what he’s going through is a testament to his strength, his courage, and it means a lot to all of us,” said Troy. “Everyone on this team was stone-faced today. They knew there was a greater purpose for this game and we came ready to play. It’s a pleasure to see Johnny back on the court and to see all of us as a team buying in towards a common goal.”
After a pre-game ceremony in which Troy spoke about Jackson and commemorated him breaking the school’s all-time scoring record (which he did with a 24-point effort in a win over Passaic County Tech this past Saturday), Jackson wasted little time in giving the fans a show. He scored on a backdoor cut for a layup to open the scoring and followed soon after with a deep 3-pointer.
Rowan Handley and Ridgewood are now 3-0 on the season.
Ayden Rivera hit two free-throws after Jackson’s opening basket to tie the game at 2. From that point on it was all Ridgewood. The Maroons hit seven of their first eight shots capped by another backdoor cut and a reverse layup for a 17-4 lead. They continued to roll in the second quarter with Tyler Nesland scoring twice on driving layups and Jackson adding three buckets in the quarter, including a nice putback of his own miss as Ridgewood had the game in complete control by halftime with a 43-14 lead.
“Johnny has put in so much work outside the gym to have the opportunity to play, it inspires us to put our best foot forward and put the best product we can on the court,” said Nesland, who finished with 12 points. “With what (Jackson) is going through, today is like a day off and it’s easy compared to what he’s going through from day-to-day. He’s a leader on this team and it’s about all of us on the same page. Today’s game was a little bit different. Our focus was ramped up and we wanted to put a full game together for him.”
During the fourth quarter, Jackson got sit and cheer for his teammates. He got to soak in just how hard his road has been since he was diagnosed this past July. He will receive another treatment in mid-December before getting his final treatment in Mid-January. With a fighting spirit and renewed purpose for love of the game, Jackson hopes to continue inspiring those around him in his quest for another section title and possibly a shot at crack the 2,000-point barrier for his career.
“Being on the court gives me a sense of calmness and it’s where I feel most comfortable,” said Jackson. “It’s been a lot of emotions through this whole process. Two more treatments left and I’m scheduled to be done on January 13th. We have such a good connection on this team that I want to be here for every part of this season. Hopefully I can ring the bell that day on the 13th, get a clean PET scan, and then get back to helping this team reach our goals.”
FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS EVENT PLEASE CLICK HERE. TO BUY A COLLECTOR'S PRINT OF THIS STORY PLEASE VISIT 4-FeetGrafix.com.
