Ian Jackson talks Kentucky after scoring 22 points in front of John Calipari, Orlando Antigua

The Sunday after Kentucky Basketball‘s loss to UCLA in Madison Square Garden and when most of the world was watching the World Cup final, five-star guard Ian Jackson and his Cardinal Hayes teammates hosted nearby Christ The King in the Bronx. The private Catholic school’s gym was packed from end to end with notable guests like John Calipari, Orlando Antigua, Carmelo Anthony, and coaches from Syracuse and St. John’s in attendance for the star-studded game between two high schools located three subway stops apart. Calipari and Antigua sat in the end zone near Cardinal Hayes’ bench beneath a couple of banners honoring Jamal Mashburn, who was a 1,000-point scorer, a City champion, Parade All-American, and Mr. New York Basketball for the Cardinals before attending the University of Kentucky.

The hope is Jackson will follow Mashburn’s path to Lexington when his time at Cardinal Hayes is complete, whether that be on his current path as the second-best player in the Class of 2024 or if he decides to reclassify and attend college a year early, which has been rumored. After Sunday’s game, he did not discuss his current plans on that front.

Jackson did, however, open up to KSR about what he sees in Kentucky. He told us he likes Calipari’s system and believes Kentucky is a place he can succeed if he ultimately chooses the Wildcats for his college career.

“Putting me in that system, I’ll be great,” Jackson said of UK. “The way they get after it on defense is just great. And just Cal, Coach Cal, an NBA legendary coach. I can learn a lot from him and there’s a lot of things he can teach me to get where I want to go.”

Jackson is also considering North Carolina and plans to visit Chapel Hill in January. He took his official visit to Kentucky for Big Blue Madness earlier this year and expects to make another trip in the future, although he isn’t sure when. He was in Madison Square Garden to watch Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic the night before Calipari and Antigua stayed back to watch him Sunday afternoon in the Bronx.

Jackson scored 22 points in a loss

As for the actual basketball game, Jackson scored 22 points but Cardinal Hayes (2-5) lost its fifth game of the season in a blowout 78-48 win for Christ The King. It was a close game until the second half, in part because of two 3-pointers by Jackson in the closing minutes of the second quarter; one a step-back to put the Cardinals ahead with two minutes to go before halftime. Jackson also showed off his burst with a couple of dunks and tough layups through contact at the rim, while his teammate and fellow junior guard Elijah Moore also reached double figures in scoring, showcasing why he has a couple of SEC offers from Arkansas and Mississippi State.

But out of halftime, it was all CTK as the Royals pulled away with a 30-point victory on the road. UCLA commit Brandon Williams, a four-star power forward, scored 10 of his team-high 21 points in the third quarter when the Royals took over. Williams was helped out by Dwayne Pierce with 15 and another 12 apiece from unranked ’23 guard Devin Vanterpool and ’24 power forward Qin Pang.

CTK also features Kiyan Anthony, the son of Carmelo and actress LaLa. Anthony is only a sophomore but has a high ceiling and lots of interest due to those Anthony genes.

Christ The King is ranked No. 21 in the new ESPN High School Basketball Top 25.

Watch Ian Jackson’s highlights from Cardinal Hayes-Christ The King

More on Jackson’s game and recruitment

In addition to Kentucky and North Carolina, Jackson is considering offers from LSU and Oregon, among others. He has already visited three of the four and plans to see UNC on January 6th, the day before the Heels host Notre Dame. On Sunday, he revealed that Hubert Davis visited him at Cardinal Hayes the day before the CBS Sports Classic and Jackson spoke highly of their relationship.

Wherever he lands, the school of Jackson’s choosing will get a defense-first playmaker with a commitment to improving his outside shot. That shot has already gotten better since the summer and it will continue to be a point of emphasis in his grueling training schedule around his daily classwork at Cardinal Hayes.

At 6-foot-5, he already looks the part of an immediate-impact college guard, which is why he is the top available target on Kentucky’s board. That interest is mutual because Jackson called Kentucky his dream school earlier this year, and the Wildcats are in a great spot to eventually land his commitment.