Jackson tops Paxon to win Gateway Conference boys hoops title
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jackson won its third Gateway Conference boys basketball championship in the past four seasons on Friday night, knocking off Paxon 73-52.
The Tigers won championships in 2018-19 before being upset in the conference quarterfinals a season ago. Paxon knocked off First Coast to win the Gateway last year.
The Tigers (14-4) pulled away just before halftime and slammed the door shut in the fourth. Stephon Payne led Jackson with 16 points and Bryce Turner had 12.
Paxon was trying to defend its Gateway crown that it won last season on a team headlined by eventual Mr. Basketball Isaiah Adams . Instead, it had to settle for runner-up, thanks to a Jackson surge before halftime that broke open a tight game.
Quinnton Jackson had 19 points for the Golden Eagles (16-6) and Jakobe Williams followed with 18.
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About the Author Justin Barney headshot
Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.
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