Peekskill Girls Basketball Finish 17-1, Asia Jackson Surpasses 1,000 Points

For every team a senior night is always a special occasion but it had even a more significant meeting for the Peekskill girls basketball squad when it hosted Lakeland on Feb. 10.

The seniors that were honored before Peekskill’s 61-32 win: Jazmin Garcia, Tasia Nolan, Kiana Letsinger, Sheridan Taylor and Tanisha Crew, are a special class. They make up the most talented senior class in recent Peekskill memory and arguably ever.

Garcia, Nolan, Letsinger and Taylor are starters this year for a Red Devil squad that finished 17-1 and is odds on favorite to win the first gold ball, given to the Section 1 A Class Champion, in PHS girls basketball history.

Junior Asia Jackson became only the fifth Peekskill player to go past 1,000 career points. She did that when she hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 4:55 left in the opening quarter, giving her 1,001 career points.

She now joins Shelia Wagner (2,478), Jerri Reeves (1,900), Cassandra Dabbs (1,478) and Yolanda Taylor (1,037) in the Red Devils 1,000-point club.

“I feel really honored,” Jackson said. “It’s something that I have worked really hard for. I wanted to really get the record but I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

Jackson said a big key to her success is the open plays that are available to her and her teammates.

“We practice a lot on our plays,” Jackson said. “When we have the ball and we look up, someone is always open. We have a lot of open plays. We are always open.”

Another reason why Jackson said she has been successful is the play of her senior teammates.

“They have meant a lot to me in my development as a player,” Jackson said. I am going to miss them.”

“It makes our success that much better because we have grown up together and we always had one goal,” Garcia said. “It’s actually sentimental to be able to do great things with the ones you love the most.”

That goal Garcia was referring to was winning the gold ball

“It’s probably the most important thing besides graduation itself,” Garcia said. “We want that gold ball more than we wanted anything. We have been talking about it since we were in eighth grade. We made a goal and plan to stick with it.”

For Peekskill coach Rodney Headley Jr., it was a night of mixed emotions.

“Happy on one side, sad on the other because I know it’s probably going to be awhile before we have another senior class like this again,” Headley said.

One of the key Peekskill players that won’t be gone is Jackson. Headley explained why she has the ability to accomplish such an historic milestone.

“Asia has natural talent along with dedication to her craft,” Headley said. “She practices extremely hard.”

What topped the night off was that the girls got to play in front of a lively, raucous crowd that in an atmosphere that one usually sees at a boys game.

“The atmosphere was amazing from start to finish,” Headley said. “I think it definitely impacted the girls efforts on the court in a positive way because the noise level made the game seem more intense than it was in relation to potential outcome. To have some of their extended family and friends there cheering that loud increased our teams' adrenaline.”