By Robert Wilson
Raymond High’s Jabarie Robinson had had enough to these runner-up finishes in the MHSAA Class 4A state championship game for the past two seasons.
The 6-foot senior guard wanted to go out a state champion in his last high school game.
Robinson did just as he had a team-high 19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals and 1 assist and led Raymond to a 65-44 victory over Clarksdale last week for the 4A state title at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson.
For his outstanding performance, Robinson has been named the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Boys Basketball Player of the Week.
Robinson made 7 of 14 shots from the field and 5 of 10 from the free throw line in the win over Clarksdale. He had 22 points (7 of 14 from the field, 1 of 4 from 3-point range and 7 of 9 from the line) with 8 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 blocked shot in Raymond’s 57-44 victory over Leake Central last week in the 4A state semifinals.
“Jabarie is one of the most skilled players in the state with the ball in his hands,” Raymond coach Tony Tadlock said. “He finished at the rim with ease and made plays for his teammates all night. Jabarie wanted to go out a champion and that’s what he did.”
This is the second time this season Robinson was named Player of the Week. He won the award Jan. 25 after he had 29 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists to lead Raymond to 79-69 victory over defending 4A state champion Lanier in a Class 4A, Region 6 game at Raymond in a rematch of last year’s 4A state championship game.
Robinson – a member of the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Preseason Elite 11 Team – averaged 21.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2 steals and led Raymond to a 29-5 record, finished with a 20-game winning streak, won its fourth state title in six seasons, and made its sixth consecutive 4A state championship game appearance.
Robinson averaged 23.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists and led Raymond to a 22-6 record and its second straight MHSAA Class 4A runner-up finish last season as a junior. He made the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson second team last season. Robinson averaged 23.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5. 2 assists and helped Raymond to a 25-8 record and a MHSAA Class 4A runner-up finish as a sophomore. He made third team All-Metro.
Robinson has offers from East Mississippi Community College, Hinds CC, Meridian CC, Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, Northeast Mississippi CC, Pearl River CC, and Southwest Mississippi CC.
