Photo Courtesy of Flo Hoops.
Tre Jones, a 6-foot-2 junior 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 Class AAAA state title Saturday win 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.
Jones, who is the younger brother of Minnesota Timberwolves second year player Tyus, picked up an offer from Minnesota last summer.
Gopher Hole caught up with Jones after the state championship game to learn the latest on his college recruitment and winning his second state title in his high school career.
Gopher Hole: It has been a couple of hours since you won the title. What is the feeling now?
Tre Jones: It is still surreal. We’ve been working all season for this and to have this at the end of the season and we have it now.
Gopher Hole: You obviously had to play some tough teams. You beat a very good Cretin team with Daniel Oturu, Maple Grove and then, of course, Champlin Park. Those two teams had beaten you during the regular season. You had a tough path to even get to the finals. How pleasing is to not only win the title, but to have to go through some teams, including two that had beaten you?
Tre Jones: I felt like we had the toughest road in state, by far. My teammates, they played really well. We played our best basketball those last three games and we were able to just find a way to win all those games.
Gopher Hole: You won the title in 2015 and beat Champlin Park. How does that one compare to this one?
Tre Jones: It is almost the same. They had a great season. Then and now. They beat us earlier in the year in both of those years and we were able to beat them in the championship in both of those years as well.
Gopher Hole: Your role has changed quite a bit over those two years. Does that make it a little sweeter since you weren’t the featured guy two years ago. You had a lot of other players on that 2015 team? This year, it is kind of little bit more of your team.
Tre Jones: You could say so, but I don’t really feel that. I feel that winning it in ninth grade year and winning it my junior year have been the same feeling. All the work I have put in and the work that my team has put in. Being about to bedown at the end of the year and come away with the win, there is no feeling that beats that.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to win one as a senior?
Tre Jones: That is the new goal. To be able to go out of my high school career on top.
Gopher Hole: What are your plans for the summer? I know that you do a lot of AAU, but are you going to Colorado Springs for the U.S. National team?
Tre Jones: I’m not sure about Colorado Springs yet. I’ll probably find out in the couple of week or so.
Gopher Hole: You are playing with Howard Pulley again. You lost a lot of key players (Brad Davison, Gary Trent, Isaac Johnson), but you have you, Daniel (Oturu) and Gabe (Kalscheur) back. What are the expectations for you guys this year?
Tre Jones: We are hoping to be as strong as we were last year. We may not have the same players, but we are hoping to have another great summer like we did last year.
Gopher Hole: Recruiting-wise, how many offers are you up right now? Do you still keep track?
Tre Jones: I think I have seven and Butler is recruiting me hard. Butler is the only school that I am hearing from that has not offered me.
Gopher Hole: I know that tried to visit some schools before the start of the season like UCLA. Where else did you go this year?
Tre Jones: I went down to Duke’s “Countdown to Crazy” and I went to a UCLA game.
Gopher Hole: Which game was that?
Tre Jones: Versus Arizona.
Gopher Hole: Are you going to try to visit any schools this summer?
Tre Jones: I don’t know about visiting this summer, but I am trying to figure out when I’m going to be taking my official. Probably soon. After AAU, I think I’ll be taking all my officials.
Gopher Hole: Do you think that you will take all five?
Tre Jones: Probably.
Gopher Hole: I knew that you went to a few Gopher games. How many games were you able to make?
Tre Jones: I’m not really sure how many I made.
Gopher Hole: Do you remember which games you went to. Any stick out?
Tre Jones: I went to the St. John’s game early on in the year. A lot of people still didn’t think that Minnesota was going to be that good this year and I felt that really opened up people’s eyes. They got a big win that night, so that was the main one.
Gopher Hole: Last year, they were 8-23 and had kind of a disappointing season. This year, they were the most improved team in the country this season. Does that change how you look at them?
Tre Jones: For sure. They are improving a lot. Coach Pitino is doing good stuff with them and sending them in the right direction, for sure.
Gopher Hole: They are kind of a guard-dominated team. Is that something that appeals to you about Minnesota?
Tre Jones: Yes. He gives their guard a lot of freedom. He lets them play their game, for sure. Lets them control the game. Nate Mason was an All-Big Ten guard. That just shows how Coach Pitino just lets him play.
Gopher Hole: Daniel Oturu is an AAU teammate of yours and a friend. He has committed to Minnesota. Does that make you looks at them a little differently as well?
Tre Jones: For sure. I know Dan. I played with him now for a summer and I will be playing with him this summer again. Just being comfortable with someone like that, that could help the decision as well.
Gopher Hole: Has he talked to you a little about joining him?
Tre Jones: A little bit, but I know I’ll be hearing it a lot now with AAU starting.
Gopher Hole: What does he say to you?
Tre Jones: He says to come join him and how much fun it would be.
Gopher Hole: With Tyus begun here, does that make you look at Minnesota a little bit more, even though you never know about the NBA and trades or whatever, but does that make you think about staying here since he is here now?
Tre Jones: For sure. My family. There is nothing like the family that I have out there. They are all right here with me and it would be really cool to be able to stay here with them.
Gopher Hole: I know a lot of people thought that when Duke offered you since your brother was there, that would be a logical place. What do you think of Duke?
Tre Jones: Duke is a really cool place. They have a winning tradition. Coach K is arguably the best college coach of all-time. Every year, they seem to have a Top five team. I have been able to get to know their coaching staff more because Tyus went there, so I know a little bit more about them than other schools.
Gopher Hole: What things are you going to be working on during the AAU season ad summer to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Tre Jones: I am just going to try to work on everything in my game. I am going to try to be getting stronger, faster, more explosive. I am also going to be in the gym, working on my shot, my ballhandling, everything.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, basketball has always been part of your family. What will it mean to play Division I basketball?
Tre Jones: It would mean a lot to me. When I was younger, my mom told me that I didn’t need to get a day job if I just worked hard and was able to get college paid for. It is just a blessing, going to college and that I’ll be able to go to college for free.