Parker Jackson-Cartwright’s freshman season was something of an orientation, a grooming for Sean Miller’s first real Point-Guard-of-the-Future.
Nic Wise, MoMo Jones and Mark Lyons were all, for different reasons, one-year stop-gap solutions.
T.J. McConnell was a two-year UA starter, but that came after two years playing for Duquesne and one season as a Wildcats redshirt.
Jackson-Cartwright, a highly-sought after four-star recruit from the 2014 class, is the first Miller, famously a point guard himself, could groom over the course of four years.
Year one was a Point Guard 101 course for Jackson-Cartwright. The final numbers: 2.9 points and 1.8 assists per game, with the occasional flash of potential.
Over the weekend, potential and promise turned into, well, pop.
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Against Washington on Thursday, Jackson-Cartwright dished 11 assists and committed just one turnover, a McConnell-esque night.
Saturday against Washington State, he did a little bit of everything — 13 points, four rebounds and seven assists against one turnover.
This is the Jackson-Cartwright that Miller — and McConnell, for that matter — envisioned.
“I just think I found my rhythm these last two games,” Jackson-Cartwright said.
In the second half of Saturday’s 90-66 win, Jackson-Cartwright dribbled around beyond the 3-point line, then on a whim, lobbed it behind two Washington State defenders.
UA forward Ryan Anderson dashed toward the rim, caught it, and slammed it home.
“Those are the type of plays we feed off of,” Jackson-Cartwright said. “I saw the play as soon as I got the ball, and I knew he was going to be there.”
Added Mark Tollefsen, Arizona’s senior forward: “That’s Parker for you. That’s what he does. If he’s open, he’s going to knock down the open shot, and if he’s facilitating, he’s one of the best facilitators we got.”
That Jackson-Cartwright was on the floor at all is a testament to his hard work. Kadeem Allen has started every game this season, relegating Jackson-Cartwright to a backup role. He’s averaged 20.9 minutes per game this season, and as of last week was getting 2.7 assists per game.
Jackson-Cartwright struggled in Arizona’s two-game losing skid in Los Angeles, committing five turnovers to just three assists in front of his friends and family.
“I think it’s always tough for a guy in our program to return to L.A., it’s where all our family and friends are,” Miller said. “If it doesn’t go well there, you can: A) get knocked back and take a little time or B) almost even come back with a chip on your shoulder, and I think that Parker left that trip with a chip on his shoulder.”
Jackson-Cartwright’s chip could be getting even bigger.
Five-star point guard Kobi Simmons verbally committed to the Wildcats Saturday afternoon, with plans to join the team in the fall. Simmons is 6 feet 6 inches, seven inches taller than Jackson-Cartwright’s (generously) listed height of 5-11.
Simmons’ commitment was, for a few hours, the story of the day for Arizona. Then Jackson-Cartwright — the UA’s point guard of the present — stole the show.
“The story of this weekend,” Miller said, “was Parker.”
