Thursday, November 11, 1999
Bearcats nab top target
BY MIKE DeCOURCY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
At Tallahassee Community College, Antwan Jones plays for a team rated No.1 in the nation and considered to rank among the favorites to claim the NJCAA championship. In making the decision about where to continue his basketball career, it made sense to him to stick with a power.
So he'll become a Cincinnati Bearcat next autumn. Jones, a 6-7 small forward who is rated among the top junior college prospects, signed a letter of intent Wednesday — the first day of the week-long fall signing period — to attend UC.
“That was real important, because one of my main goals here at TCC is to win a national championship,” Jones said. “For the next level, the only way I'll have a chance to do that is to go to a program that's not rebuilding, that has a chance to compete for the national championship. I think Cincinnati is a team that can do that.”
Of the schools Jones was considering — UC, LSU, South Florida and East Carolina — only the Bearcats have been in the NCAA Tournament in the past five seasons. Neither LSU nor USF was over .500 last season, although each has the young talent to challenge for a tournament bid this season.
Jones talked the decision over with his mother Tuesday night and chose UC.
“He's a guy who's potentially a difference-maker,” said UC coach Bob Huggins. “We've got guards back and inside guys. We have no small forward. He's very skilled. He can stretch the defense. He can make perimeter shots.”
Jones became the third member of UC's fall recruiting class, joining guards Jerome Harper of Columbia, S.C., and Field Williams of Houston.
Harper committed in July and was expected to sign his letter of intent Wednesday. Williams committed early last month and faxed his signed letter to UC on the first day. With those two wrapped up, the Bearcats identified Jones as their primary remaining target. They will attempt to sign one or two power forwards in the spring, at least one of whom is likely to come from a junior college.
“After taking my visit up there, I really did enjoy the campus, the people, the team, the coaches. It was nice,” Jones said. “I think the success they've had with junior college players who came through there, like Nick Van Exel, Corie Blount, that was one of the main reasons I picked them.”
“"He makes shots. He really makes shots,” Huggins said. “He really loves to play. Field's always in the gym.”
Jones averaged 20 points and 7.5 rebounds in his first season under coach Mike Gillespie at TCC. He shot 55-of-135 (.407) from three-point range, even though he operated pri marily as a power forward. This year, he's playing small forward, where he is more comfortable and is likely to line up for UC.
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