No. 12 seeded Grand Canyon University is set to face No. 5 Saint Mary’s University on Friday to kickstart their March Madness run.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Claiming their third WAC championship off the back of a 17-3 conference record and being 29-4 overall, GCU aims to go as far as they can with the National Championship being the ultimate prize.
For the seniors, the NCAA Men’s Div. I Basketball Tournament spells the end of their college careers as they will look to go out on a high note.
One of those grizzled veterans is guard Jovan Blacksher Jr., someone who has been with the program for five seasons (2019-24).
He has battled through adversity while with the Lopes, including his freshman year when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and suffering a season-ending ACL injury last season.
The Shadow Mountain High School product has also seen his position fluctuate from being a starter to a substitute. He has played 27-plus minutes during his first four years to just 14.9 per game this season.
But no matter what role he is in, Blacksher Jr. embraces it and wants to make his presence felt for the betterment of his team to be victorious.
“I just don’t like losing,” Blacksher Jr. said. “Being out there and the opportunity that we have, I just want to get the guys going. We want to win and that is what we came out here to do… Overall, just want to win whether I am on the floor or just making an impact on the bench.”
This year, Blacksher Jr. has averaged 5.0 points, 1.6 assists and 0.9 rebounds in 24 games.
Madness of March
Knowing that his time with the Lopes is slowly coming to an end, the 24-year-old acknowledges that Saint Mary’s will be the first test to see how far they can go.
Saint Mary’s recently claimed a 69-60 win over college basketball giant Gonzaga University, taking home the WCC championship.
Going up against a higher-ranked opponent, Blacksher Jr. believes he and his team will have to limit mistakes if they want to have a chance at moving on.
“There is no room for error against these types of teams, got to lock in the gameplan and execute on every possession,” Blacksher Jr. said.
This will be the third time (2021, 2023, 2024) Blacksher Jr. and Grand Canyon will be in March Madness. GCU first became a Div. I program in 2014.
Carrying the momentum from winning the WAC Tournament into their first game in March Madness this year, he is grateful for the opportunity to be back once again.
“Just trying to stay the course honestly, we know we got to come out here and execute,” Blacksher Jr. said. “To go out here first is a blessing, good experience. And then to go out here and get a win, that is what we are aiming for.”
From being born in Oakland, California to moving to Arizona, Blacksher Jr. set two prestigious goals when he arrived at GCU and believes he has accomplished them both.
“When I first came here, I wanted to build a legacy and be legendary here,” Blacksher Jr. said. “I think that this [being in March Madness] solidifies it.”
Grand Canyon HC Bryce Drew strongly believes in team vs. Saint Mary’s
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers Phoenix Sports News for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
