Oscar Jackson was a key ingredient on one of
the most explosive high school teams in Beaver County sports history:
the 1970 Beaver Falls Tigers. As a 6’-2” junior, Oscar led the Tigers in
scoring with 496 points as they won the PIAA championship. It was
his shot that defeated Pittsburgh Schenley, led by Maurice Lucas, in
the western finals, and it was Oscar who scored 28 points in the state
title game against Haverford. In his senior season, Oscar made first
team All State, finishing his career with the Tigers with 1100
points, including a school record 52 in one game. He was the Section 3A MVP for the 1970-1971 season,
but his
talent extended beyond the basketball court and into the classroom
as he was an honor student and president of his class. That
combination had over 3000 colleges yearning for him as a
student-athlete but he chose Duquesne University, both for its
proximity to home and its academic and athletic standing. After
starring on the Dukes’ freshman team, Oscar averaged 13.4 points per
game as a sophomore and led the team in assists with 78. His
average dipped to 8.4 ppg as a junior, but as a senior and
co-captain of the Dukes averaged 10.2 ppg and was a team leader on
the floor. Drafted by the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA, Oscar was a late
preseason cut but continued playing with Hazelton of the Eastern
League. A hamstring pull the following year prevented his chance to
make
the NBA, and Oscar decided to concentrate on his business career,
serving as personnel supervisor at Corning Glass Company in Horseheads, NY, and remaining active in his community, including
giving free basketball clinics.
Oscar Jackson was a key ingredient on one of
the most explosive high school teams in Beaver County sports history:
the 1970 Beaver Falls Tigers. As a 6’-2” junior, Oscar led the Tigers in
scoring with 496 points as they won the PIAA championship. It was
his shot that defeated Pittsburgh Schenley, led by Maurice Lucas, in
the western finals, and it was Oscar who scored 28 points in the state
title game against Haverford. In his senior season, Oscar made first
team All State, finishing his career with the Tigers with 1100
points, including a school record 52 in one game. He was the Section 3A MVP for the 1970-1971 season,
but his
talent extended beyond the basketball court and into the classroom
as he was an honor student and president of his class. That
combination had over 3000 colleges yearning for him as a
student-athlete but he chose Duquesne University, both for its
proximity to home and its academic and athletic standing. After
starring on the Dukes’ freshman team, Oscar averaged 13.4 points per
game as a sophomore and led the team in assists with 78. His
average dipped to 8.4 ppg as a junior, but as a senior and
co-captain of the Dukes averaged 10.2 ppg and was a team leader on
the floor. Drafted by the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA, Oscar was a late
preseason cut but continued playing with Hazelton of the Eastern
League. A hamstring pull the following year prevented his chance to
make
the NBA, and Oscar decided to concentrate on his business career,
serving as personnel supervisor at Corning Glass Company in Horseheads, NY, and remaining active in his community, including
giving free basketball clinics.