Bio

Blake Jackson enters his third season as head men's basketball coach at Spartanburg Methodist College after establishing a culture built on accountability, player development, academic success, and defensive excellence. Since taking over the Pioneer program in September 2024, Jackson has laid a strong foundation for sustained success both on and off the court.

In his first season (2024-25), Jackson quickly established defensive intensity and player development as the identity of the program. The Pioneers showed consistent improvement throughout the year while competing in one of the NAIA's toughest leagues, advancing to the Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) Men's Basketball Tournament championship game. SMC finished 12-16 in its inaugural NAIA season while averaging 84.6 points per game.

The Pioneers were led by Bryan Bayonne, who earned six CAC Player of the Week honors, was named CAC Player of the Year, garnered First Team All-CAC recognition, and received NAIA Third Team All-America honors. Off the court, six student-athletes earned Athletic Director's Honor Roll recognition during the Spring 2025 semester.

The program continued its upward trajectory during the 2025-26 season as Jackson guided the Pioneers through their first year in the highly competitive Appalachian Athletic Conference. Despite facing one of the nation's strongest schedules, SMC emerged as one of the AAC's top defensive teams, holding opponents to just 69.7 points per game while limiting them to 39.8 percent shooting from the field. The defensive success reflected Jackson's philosophy that consistent effort, communication, and discipline create opportunities to compete every night.

Jackson's commitment to player development was evident throughout the season. Freshman CJ Terrell emerged as one of the conference's top young players, earning All-Appalachian Athletic Conference Second Team, AAC All-Freshman Team, and AAC All-Defensive Team honors. Terrell averaged 12.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while increasing his production in conference play to 11.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per contest, establishing himself as one of the league's premier two-way players.

Redshirt freshman Musa Muriithi also flourished under Jackson's leadership, earning College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors while averaging 10.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and a team-best 2.7 assists per game. His success exemplified Jackson's commitment to developing student-athletes who excel both on the court and in the classroom.

As the program enters its third season under Jackson's leadership, the Pioneers continue to build a culture centered on competitive excellence, academic achievement, and long-term player development. Jackson's vision extends beyond wins and losses, emphasizing the growth of student-athletes as leaders, teammates, and individuals prepared to succeed long after their playing careers have ended.

Before arriving at Spartanburg Methodist, Jackson spent the 2023-24 season as an assistant coach at Keiser University, helping guide the Seahawks to an 18-11 overall record and an 8-6 mark in The Sun Conference. He played an integral role in player development, offensive and defensive game planning, recruiting, and scouting as Keiser advanced to the NAIA National Championship Tournament. During his tenure, the Seahawks produced both the Sun Conference Player of the Year in Vincent Miszkiewicz and the Sun Conference Freshman of the Year in Calvin Sirmans.

Prior to Keiser, Jackson gained collegiate coaching experience at Bethune-Cookman University and Macomb Community College, where he built a strong reputation as a recruiter, skill developer, and mentor.