Welcome to the beginning of the Jaden Jackson era at Skyline.

You can say it started this season when Jackson earned a spot on the Eagles' starting lineup. Or when he averaged 16 points a game and helped a rebuilding program finish above .500 and reach the quarterfinals of the state 5A tournament.

We're talking state-level here, and Jackson became elite even though the Eagles were a one-and-done playoff team.

He scored 20 points on Alta while helping an undersized team take the eventual state champions to the 31st minute as a sophomore. That performance should earn Jackson a seat at the table with Tyrell Corbin, Nick Emery and Christian Covey during next year's discussion about who is the state's best player.

"He's clearly one of the best players in the state," said Skyline coach Bernie Graziano, who won a state title with Fremont in 2005 and led a rebuilding Skyline team to a 12-11 mark this season. "You look at Skyline basketball the next two years, you'll be looking at Jaden Jackson."

"He helped us win so many games this season," Graziano continued. "The thing about him is he has direction. He's goal oriented and wants to be a player. He is a player and he wants to get better and better.

"I don't think I've had a sophomore shoot the ball as well as him in my 24 years."

Praise from the coach means big excitement for Jackson about the next two years.

"Very exciting," Jackson said. "It's a lot more fun to be competing for a state title. We're going to give it a run. I thought I did well this year. Had some good teammates around me."

Being anointed a chosen one won't stop Jackson from working on his game. When he's not playing on a traveling team this season, he'll be working out with his brother-in-law Aaron Hill, who played at Oklahoma State.

"I'm going to the gym and get stronger," Jackson said. "We'll be stronger."

One thing Skyline will need to be is taller.

No Eagle player stood above 6-foot-3 last season, and there's no immediate help from the junior varsity or sophomores.

"Rebounding," Graziano said. "That has been a challenge."

Jackson thinks the Eagles can compensate. Alta had a clear height advantage, but only outrebounded Skyline 29-22.

"We knew we could hang with Alta," Jackson said. "We didn't have a player taller than 6-2, but we showed that doesn't matter."

That was the kind of effort Graziano will remember from 2010, not the final game's outcome.

"We were hungry, we played with a lot of heart," Graziano said. "This team deserves a lot of respect."

With Jackson and a group of maturing players, the Eagles will deserve plenty of respect next year.