‘Be like Crow’: How Ridge View honors late coach during latest state title push
Winning a third straight state championship won’t be the only thing on the minds of the Ridge View boys basketball team this weekend.
The Blazers’ players and coaches also will have the memory of Jason “Crow” Anderson fresh in their minds when they take the floor Saturday against Myrtle Beach for the Class 4A state championship game at Colonial Life Arena.
“I told myself earlier this week that if we don’t get it done, I failed for him,” senior forward Patrick Jenkins said. “So that is my goal this weekend to get it done because that is what he wants us to do.”
Anderson was a big part of the Ridge View community before he died unexpectedly last month at the age of 39.
He coached running backs on the Blazers’ varsity football team for five seasons and ran the clock at Ridge View’s home basketball games. Jenkins and other players would joke around with him at the scorers table before checking in to the game.
Anderson’s son, Ja’Von, was a two-sport standout at Ridge View and a member of the Blazers’ two state championship basketball teams before graduating in May. He spent this season playing basketball at Moravian Prep and verbally committed last week to play at Francis Marion.
Jason Anderson’s wife was pregnant at the time of his death and gave birth Tuesday to their daughter, Logan. The baby came a week earlier than expected — and on the anniversary of Ridge View’s first state championship victory two years ago.
Ja’Von Anderson put his 2018 championship ring in his father’s casket.
“He used to always call me his champ, said I was ‘daddy’s champ,’ so today I decided to let him leave as a champ,” Ja’Von posted on Twitter on Feb. 10, the day of his father’s funeral.
The basketball team and the rest of the school have rallied in support of the Andersons. The school sold about 200 T-shirts with Anderson’s signature catchphrase “They gon’ get this work” on the front and #BeLikeCrow on the back, with the proceeds going to the Anderson family. Players wear the shirts in warm-ups and the coaches wore them for the Blazers’ final home game against Westwood on Feb. 14.
A moment of silence was observed before that game and a chair was left empty with a rose on it in honor of Anderson at the scorer’s table.
“The RV community’s support meant more than they thought it meant. It helped my family so much and it showed real family love. My dad took so much pride into Ridge View the day I stepped foot on campus,” Ja’Von Anderson said. “He was with me throughout the whole journey. Almost like he was still in school The thing is you would’ve thought he went to Ridge View if you guessed but he didn’t even go there.”
“The Ridge View basketball team has helped me by playing their best basketball. My dad couldn’t ask for more than for them to just play hard and with a purpose but now they have a purpose, something and someone to play for.”
Ja’Von Anderson plans to be at Saturday’s game either on the bench or in the stands cheering his teammates on against Myrtle Beach. Jenkins and the rest of the Blazers players have tried to keep in touch with Ja’Von and his family.
“It hurt everybody. He is a great, loving energetic dude. When we got the news, it hurt,” Jenkins said. “When I was younger I lost my dad so I know how it feels. I made it a point to try and talk to Ja’Von every day.
“He played a big role and was like a father figure to me and basically took me like a son with anything I needed.”
Cincere Scott, a guard for basketball and receiver on the football team, said Anderson was one of the first people he met when moved from Aiken before his junior year. He said Anderson always was encouraging and would bring out the best in him.
Now, Scott and the rest of the Blazers hope to do the same Saturday.
“I know this means so much to him and would put a smile on his face to him if he was here,” Scott said. “He would want us to do the same thing.”
Championship schedule
Where: Colonial Life Arena in Columbia
Tickets: $12 per person (5 and younger free). Clear bag policy in effect.
Watch: Games will be broadcast locally on WACH Fox 57.2 and 1250 and statewide on Sinclair Broadcast stations CW21 WWMB (Florence/Myrtle Beach), MyTV (Charleston) and My40 WMYA (Asheville/Greenvlle). The Dutch Fork game will be carried locally on WACH Fox. Games will be streamed on www.nfhsnetwork.com (Subscription required).
Friday
Class 2A Girls
North Charleston vs. Christ Church, 3:30 p.m.
Class 2A Boys
Gray Collegiate vs. Whale Branch, 5 p.m.
Class 5A Girls
Clover vs. Goose Creek, 7 p.m.
Class 5A Boys
Dorman vs. Dutch Fork, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday
Class A Girls
High Point Academy vs. Military Magnet, 10:30 a.m.
Class A Boys
Great Falls vs. Scott’s Branch, noon
Class 3A Girls
Keenan vs. Marion, 2 p.m.
Class 3A Boys
Keenan vs. Wade Hampton, 3:30 p.m.
Class 4A Girls
North Augusta vs. South Pointe, 5:30 p.m.
Class 4A Boys
Ridge View vs. Myrtle Beach, 7 p.m.
This story was originally published March 5, 2020 at 3:12 PM.
