Brothers connect for Cadets
Jacksons play a big part in Academy’s strong season
Andre Jackson is one of the most highly sought-after boys’ basketball recruits in the nation from the Class of 2020. The 6-foot-7 standout from Albany Academy, who had a scholarship offer from Syracuse University before once donning his uniform as a sophomore, is ardent when talking about another member of the Albany Academy roster: younger brother Marcus Jackson.
“He definitely has a lot of potential and he is young. I really think he can do anything,” Andre Jackson said of his brother, a 6-1 sophomore who plays both forward and guard for the Cadets. “He is all-in for the team. Marcus is really tough and very passionate about the game.”
The Jackson brothers, who are from Amsterdam, both have bright futures on the hardwood beyond high school. Presently, the siblings are gearing up for the Federation Tournament of Champions. Albany Academy (17-3), ranked No. 1 in the Class A state poll, takes on No. 2-ranked Park School (25-2) — the Catholic High School Athletic Association champion — on Saturday in the semifinals at Cool Insuring Arena. The game is a rematch of the 2018 final won by Park School at the buzzer on a basket by point guard Noah Hutchins.
The huge rematch against Park School certainly has the brothers energized, yet the two standouts put a great deal of time in regularly honing their craft. That relentless work ethic is something Albany Academy coach Brian Fruscio says serves them well
now and will continue to do so in the future.
“They are both grinders and have improved on all of the things they needed to improve on,” Fruscio said. “That is the neat part of how they play. They spend so much time in the gym and are the last to leave. They come back to the gym or they always find a gym. They are willing to work. Seeing Andre on the side doing his ball-handling drills is a tribute. Hameir Wright did it. Will Bennett did it. August (Mahoney, the team’s leading scorer) does it. Andre is doing it and Marcus is doing it. They have bought in. We don’t have time during practice to work on (individual) development.
They do it on their own.”
Andre Jackson, who has already taken visits to Iowa and Uconn and plans to go see Syracuse, Stanford and Marquette, is averaging 17.6 points, 10.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. The junior standout is shooting 68 percent from the field, annually leaving fans awestruck with his athleticism and creativity as both a dunker and passer. Those attributes have Jackson rated No. 37 on the ESPN60 list of 2020 recruits.
“It is crazy seeing what he can do,” Marcus Jackson said of his older brother. “Getting him the ball and seeing how high he can fly is amazing. I can have the ball and kick it out to August for a 3, which is pretty much automatic. We are all family on this team. We’re all brothers.”
Marcus Jackson ranks fourth on the Cadets in scoring at 7.2 points per game. The sophomore, who plays all positions but center for Albany Academy, has excelled as a defender, is shooting 50 percent from the field and is also averaging 3.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game.
“Marcus Jackson is a winner,” Fruscio said. “He doesn’t rise to the middle of the square and dunk with all of the flash – and well-deserved flash – that Andre has. All of the things Marcus does don’t show up in the stat sheets or on video. I want him, or a guy like him, on every team I coach. He has been great.”
“I just like to do what is best for the team,” Marcus Jackson said regarding his multi-positional role. “I like to win. That is my inner feeling that drives me. This experience has been super valuable. It is really going to help me in my future years. I have become a different player.”
The brothers grew up playing basketball and football together. Their bond on the court is as apparent as the one they share off it.
“They are really good with each other,” Fruscio said. “Andre knows he really can’t pile on Marcus too much. He doesn’t. He lets August, myself or other people sort of take a lead. Marcus is to himself. He wants to please his big brother. That is part of who he is. He is a very independent person, but he wants to help us win and help his brother. Andre can get after him as a teammate, but if an opponent gets after him, look out. It is sort of a, ‘I can get after him, but you can’t’ thing. He is definitely the older brother, the alpha, the bigger one. Marcus is pretty tough.”
“Of course, when you are playing with a sibling, it can be shaky at points,” Andre Jackson said. “When things are flowing and good, they are really good because we have that chemistry. I have been with him my whole life. We share a room. We are really close and I am thankful we’ve had the opportunity to play in high school together.”