Justin Edwards outduels Ian Jackson in battle between Kentucky signee and target

Justin Edwards played spoiler on the night before Ian Jackson‘s big day.

To cap off Sunday’s slate of games at the 2023 Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., Edwards, a five-star Kentucky class of 2023 signee, led Imhotep Charter (PA) past Jackson and Cardinal Hayes (NY) in a high-profile matchup on ESPN2, winning 62-59. Edwards was dominant from start to finish, stuffing the stat sheet to the tune of 25 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and six steals on 9-17 shooting from the field.

The future Wildcats’ MVP effort was more than enough to fend off a pesky Cardinal Hayes group that refused to give up.

Justin Edwards earns MVP honors following a 25-point, 12-rebound, 6-steal, 4-assist effort in a win

Kid can play. pic.twitter.com/GxjKPPehnu

— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) January 16, 2023

As for Jackson, a five-star guard from the class of 2024 who plans to make his college decision Monday afternoon, he had a rough 4-10 shooting night but was effective elsewhere, totaling 11 points, five rebounds, five assists, and four steals. The No. 2 ranked high school junior in the country is down to just a handful of schools, chief among them Kentucky, North Carolina, and Arkansas. In attendance to catch the action at Springfield College were UK assistant Orlando Antigua, UNC head coach Hubert Davis, and an assistant from Arkansas.

Jackson’s announcement will come during halftime of Monday’s 3:00 p.m. EST matchup between Montverde Academy (FL) and Sunrise Christian School (KS) on ESPNU.

Edwards gives the BBN a taste of what’s in store

Edwards made a nationally televised statement in the win, although he might not agree with that exact phrasing. KSR’s Jack Pilgrim learned that the hard way.

“It was a tough win. What you mean by statement?” Edwards told KSR in the postgame press conference. Then again, you don’t get ranked as the No. 2 ranked senior in the On3 Consensus for no reason.

From the opening tip, he took it upon himself to defend Jackson as tightly as possible, chasing the shifty 6-foot-5 guard all around the floor. Known first and foremost for his defense, Edwards was on a mission to shut down the opposing team’s star player — next challenge, please.

Okay, how about on offense? A pair of highlight dunks in the opening minutes should help meet the requirements. He continued to pop off from there.

Big time performance from Justin Edwards 👏⭐️ pic.twitter.com/bNXXpgnEN2

— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) January 16, 2023

Imhotep held a 19-13 lead after the opening quarter and led by as many as 13 points during the first half. Edwards was the buzzing star throughout, knocking down mid-range jumpers, inhaling any and every loose ball, and consistently defending at a high level. Despite Jackson’s poor shooting performance, he was still hustling and making plays on both ends of the floor, preventing Imhotep from blowing the game wide open.

Out of the halftime break, it was Jackson once again making plays without putting the ball in the hoop. After not leading since the score was 9-8 early in the first quarter, Cardinal Hayes cut the Imhotep lead down to a one-possession game several times in the third frame. But Edwards always found a way to shift the momentum.

Heading into the fourth quarter, Edwards was already up to a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Imhotep was able to stretch its lead back five points and kept Cardinal Hayes from completing the comeback. Jackson playing the majority of the fourth period one foul away from disqualification certainly didn’t help the situation, either.

Cardinal Hayes would have one final chance in the closing minutes, but Edwards shut that down quickly. He converted on a tough layup to make it 57-50 in favor of Imhotep with just 90 seconds left before forcing a turnover the next possession down that led to a fastbreak score. Ball game.

Edwards got the better of Jackson in the end, but the Big Blue Nation would have lived with any result if it means both wind up in Lexington down the road. We’ll find out soon enough.