Taft Sunk by Sharp Shooting

Perfect free-throw shooting by forward Charles Jackson and guard Louis Campbell propelled Verbum Dei High to a 51-47 summer league win over Taft on Wednesday at Culver City High.

In a fast-tempo game in which the lead changed hands eight times, Jackson and Campbell took charge when the running ceased.

Campbell, who scored 17 points, was 5 of 5 from the free throw line. Jackson, who led all players with 20 points, was twice as good, sinking 10 of 10 free throws, including two for insurance with 18 seconds to play.

Does Jackson always shoot that well?

“I try to,” said Jackson, who will be a senior in the fall.

Said Verbum Dei Coach Gilbert Baker: “We work on free throws every day. And Jackson might be our best free-throw shooter.”

Taft (3-1) jumped out to an early lead in the first half behind the shooting of guard Mike Werner, who scored nine points, to give the Toreadors a 15-5 lead.

Werner and his teammates then went cold as the Eagles scored 11 straight points to take a 16-15 lead. Jackson made seven free throws in the first half, including two after the buzzer to give Verbum Dei an 18-17 halftime lead.

The changed hands several times in the second half, then guard Brian Brass made a layup with six minutes left to give Verbum Dei (4-0) the lead for good, 37-36. The win gave Verbum Dei a one-game lead in the Culver City Summer League.

“Our defense was good in the first half, but then we just started fouling them time and time again,” Taft assistant Coach Brad Gore said. “And not only did we send them to the line, we gave them easy shots.”

Verbum Dei was 21 of 27 from the free throw line, and Taft was 4 of 7.

Taft was led by center Lamont Koonce, who had 10 points. Koonce may replace Quincy Watts, who probably won’t play basketball next season because he wants to devote his time to track.

“Koonce has been a big surprise,” Gore said. “He played junior varsity the last two years but is much stronger now.”