Tre Jones, a 6-foot-2 rising senior point guard from Apple Valley (MN) High, is considered the top player in the state in the Class of 2018.
Jones helped lead the Eagles to the Class AAAA state title wIth a 60-54 win over previously undefeated Champlin Park as he finished 24 points, 18 rebounds and five assists.
Jones averaged 23.5 points, 10.4 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game this season as the Eagles finished 30-2.
Gopher Hole caught up with Jones recently to learn the latest on his AAU season and college recruitment.
Gopher Hole: You guys are off to a great start AAU-wise. How pleased are you with how well you guys are playing?
Tre Jones: It has been amazing so far. We lost our first game on the circuit, but we have bounced back and won eleven straight on the circuit. We were the first team to qualify for the Peach Jam. Coming into the season, obviously, that is our main goal, is to get into the Peach Jam. I have been really happy with our team so far.
Gopher Hole: I think a lot of guys thought that you would be good with Gabe Kalscheur yourself and Daniel Oturu back from last year, but are you a little bit surprised or pleasantly surprised with how well you guys are playing?
Tre Jones: For sure. I feel like we have all improved our game and it is not only us three. Jarvis (Thomas) is playing really good right now. We have Daniel Roddy, who is a younger guy who is playing up. He is contributing a ton for us. That is just our starters. Going into our bench, our bench is giving us great minutes and contributing well. It has been just great.
Gopher Hole: You are finished your junior year and are going to be a senior soon. Is that weird to finally be a senior?
Tre Jones: It is, for sure. Coming into the tournament today, I was telling my family that this is my last in-state AAU tournament of my career, so that is something crazy to think about. All the experiences. All the memories that I have made of this. There is nothing that I would do different. .
Gopher Hole: You have a great high school coach and program, but how much do think playing AAU against that type of top competition that you are going to play against in college, helps you as a player?
Tre Jones: It has helped me a lot, I would say. I feel like the Nike circuit is the best circuit out there. The best competition out there, so playing against that all the time, almost every weekend in the spring and at the Peach Jam in the summer, I feel that there is no better competition out there.
Gopher Hole: Any summer plans. I know that you usually play at the Gopher team camp?
Tre Jones: I think that we are doing the Gopher team camp, but I think that is it for June. In July, we are doing the Peach Jam to start out with.
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Gopher Hole: Are you doing any USA basketball this year?
Tre Jones: Not this year. It is U 19 (Under 19), so I would be playing up two years, but I might be going to some camps.
Gopher Hole: Any new offers?
Tre Jones: No new offers. Just taking it slow. Same thing as always. I’m trying not to skip any steps along the way. Still don’t have any idea where I want to go or where I am narrowing it down to or anything yet.
Gopher Hole: I know that you look at the schools pretty hard. I know that Duke recently got a commitment from top point guard for 2017. Do you watch to see who is going to be on the roster and who might be there when you are there?
Tre Jones: For sure. All schools right now, across the entire country, are getting a ton of guys because how the college game is with everyone leaving and going to the NBA. Obviously, you pay attention to that, but you just have to look what is the best fit for you at the end of the day.
Gopher Hole: What are going to be the main factors that make you pick School A over School B or C?
Tre Jones: I feel like just the best fit for myself. A place that will make me the best player that I can be, but not only on the court, but also off the court. .
Gopher Hole: I know that Daniel Oturu said that he is working on some guys on the team. What is he saying to you about Minnesota?
Tre Jones: He is telling me that he wants me to come play with him there. He has committed already and we all see that Minnesota is moving in the right direction, for sure. He sees how much success we are having out here across the entire country and he thinks that we can do that at the college level right away, so he is trying to get me on board with that.
Gopher Hole: Does he have much sway with you though?
Tre Jones: I am just taking it slow, like I said before. I’m not leaning anywhere yet.
Gopher Hole: You lost some good players on your high school team, but you have you, Luke Martens and a few others back. The goal, obviously, is to win another title. What would it mean to win three titles in high school as a player?
Tre Jones: That is our goal for next year, obviously, to win a state championship again. Every year that Apple Valley has had a chance to repeat, they have never been able to do that, so hopefully, we can do that next year.