ROCKLIN, Calif. – Scriptwriters could not have come up with a better ending to Senior Day in Warrior Arena. With just one senior to honor on the last day of the season, that senior played the role of the hero, hitting the winning shot to take down Fresno Pacific, 77-76.
It was the
Ja'Maris Blackmon show on Saturday afternoon. The Seattle native, playing with his family in attendance, was the only player to be recognized in the pregame Senior Day ceremony. In his final collegiate basketball moment, Blackmon likely saved his best for last.
The senior guard dropped 24 points to lead all players, doing so on 9-of-17 from the field. No two points were bigger than his final two. With 14.8 seconds on the clock and the Warriors trailing by one, Blackmon took the inbound pass, waited for the right moment to drive to the lane, and when the moment arrived, he kissed a floater off the glass to put his side up by one.
FPU's last ditch effort to steal the moment was not to be, as the Warriors ended the season winners on Horton Court.
"Coach told me to fake like I was going left because they were going to switch it," said Blackmon on the last-second shot. "I came off the screen and saw somebody step up. I just had to make a move. I've been working on my left float."
"To end my college career like this, it feels good. I am going to remember this, for sure."
The win snaps a streak of thrilling games that haven't gone the way of the Warriors as of late. In their previous two contests, Jessup found themselves in a hole of at least 17 points, but in both, they managed to climb back to take the lead. Both ultimately ended in Jessup losses.
There was no double-digit mountain to climb on Saturday, as FPU's largest lead was just six. On the opposite end, the Warriors found themselves leading by a dozen in the first half.
It wasn't just Blackmon who contributed to the offense, as he saw three other teammates end the season in double-figures.
Cayden McDaniel closed his freshman campaign with a 19-point performance.
Tamatoa Humbert ended the year with 14 points, and
Anthony Enoh closed with 12.
Jessup concludes its first Division II season having gone 9-17, with a 9-5 record inside Warrior Arena.
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Jessup University is a provisional member of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division II and the PacWest Conference. For additional information regarding Jessup Athletics, visit www.jessupathletics.com; visit www.jessup.edu for more information on Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: Jessup University Athletics (Facebook) and @JessupAthletics (Instagram & X).
