Tyus Jones’ work ethic both on and off the court continues to impress coaches and teammates.
Tyus Jones, a 6-foot-2 sophomore point guard from Apple Valley, has had two outstanding seasons as a starter for the Eagles. However, bad news for metro areas opponents, Jones is even better this year, as his 32.3 points per game average indicates. GopherHole.com watched Jones play his first three games of the season in person and caught up with him after their 80-62 win over Henry Sibley to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Jones averaged 16.5 points per game two seasons ago and led the Metro area in assists as an eighth grader. Jones scored in double figures in 21 of 28 games as the Eagles finished 20-8.
Jones upped those numbers to 18.8 points and eight assists per game for the Eagles, which went 19-10 last season, despite missing 13 games with a lacerated kidney that he suffered in the season opener against St. Louis Park.
Jones is off to an incredible start this season. He had 37 points, nine rebounds, 11 assists and five steals in their season opening 89-85 loss to Eden Prairie. Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo and Ohio State assistant Jeff Boals were in attendance.
He had 28 points and eight assists in Saturday’s 79-69 win over Tartan in the Breakdown Tip-Off Classic in front of the entire Gopher coaching staff and assistants from Baylor and Iowa. Jones was eight of 14 from the field and made 10 of 11 from the line.
Jones had 32 points on 13 of 16 shooting from the field in their 80-62 win over Henry Sibley as Washinngton assistant Raphael Chillious watched. He made both three-pointers and all four free throws. Jones added six rebounds, six assists and five steals.
GopherHole.com watched Jones play his first three games of the season in person and caught up with him after their victory over Henry Sibley to learn the latest on his recruitment.
GH: You are off to a 2-1 start and are playing well. How pleased are you with the start of your season so far?
Tyus Jones: We are playing well as a team. Our team chemistry is going well and I am happy with how we are playing. We are coming out and we are focused and have that intensity. We have to keep that up.
GH: How about your own individual play?
Tyus Jones: I had too many turnovers (six- although some passes were mishandled by his teammates) tonight. That is unacceptable for me as a point guard and as a leader of the team. I can’t be turning the ball over. That is giving them extra possessions. I am trying to command and run the show well and making sure that we get good shots and distribute the ball well. I think that I am playing well so far this season.
GH: Coach Smith was at your game Saturday and Washington was here at the Sibley game. Do you notice those things?
Tyus Jones: I don’t know that those coaches are there until after the game. I didn’t know that the Washington coach was there until after the game. It doesn’t really affect me playing. This summer with the coaches watching you, you get kind of used to it, so now in these situations with a big crowd, it seems like they are just another spectator watching. You just have to play your game and try not to do too much.
GH: That has to make you feel pretty good though, too?
Tyus Jones: Yes, at the same time it does make me feel good. It makes me want to work harder and keep doing what I am doing. You can keep getting better every day.
GH: When you see articles and message boards things, do you read them or not really?
Tyus Jones: Not really. I try to stay away from them because that will mess with a player’s head in many cases.
GH: There was some talk about whether Minnesota was really that strong on your list of schools. Had you heard that talk?
Tyus Jones: Yes, I had heard that. That was a misinterpretation. The thing was, they asked me what schools were in common with my friend Jahlil Okafor (a 6-foot-9, 255-pound junior from Whitney Young) from Chicago. It was just a small misinterpretation. Minnesota is on my list. They are going to stay on my list. They are definitely a school that I have been talking to and everything.
GH: Were you surprised about how quickly people were talking about that?
Tyus Jones: I didn’t know where (it was coming from). The first time I heard, someone said that they saw an article “that said that Minnesota was not on your list.” I didn’t know where that came from. I had no idea. I was confused because they are one of first schools that recruited me and I am still looking at them.
GH: And you’ve been to several of their games already this year?
Tyus Jones: Yes. I’ve already been to a few games there this year