University of Louisville signee Chris Jones, a sophomore point guard at Northwest Florida State College, was named the National Junior College Player of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches on Tuesday.
Jones, a five-star prospect who is the likely successor to Peyton Siva as the Cardinals’ starting point guard in 2013-14, averaged 21.8 points per game – fifth-most in the country – 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists this season. The award caps a sterling two-year career for Jones at Northwest Florida, which he led to a national runner-up finish in both seasons.
The Player of the Year award is “a tremendous accomplishment for Chris and his teammates,” NWF coach Steve Forbes said by phone. “… It caps off the best career in the history of Northwest Florida (over two years). … I’m not sure that there’s much more that he could have accomplished other than maybe winning the national title.”
Jones is also a two-time first-team National Junior College Athletic Association All-American and two-time conference player of the year, and he set NWF’s single-game scoring record with 49 points, including a winning 75-foot buzzer-beater, in a game against Lee College this year. He’s also a high-level on-ball defender.
“Above all, he’s one of the most competitive kids I’ve ever coached, and that’s the biggest attribute he’ll bring to (U of L) is his competitiveness and his desire to win,” Forbes said. “He’s got great ability to score and pass, but those intangibles are what make him different.”
Forbes said he believes Jones and Russ Smith, who elected last week to return to U of L for his senior year instead of turning pro, will make for a dynamic backcourt next season the Cards attempt to defend their national title.
“Going from junior college to that (high NCAA Division I) level, there is always going to be an adjustment,” Forbes said. “I think Russ will be a great mentor (to Jones) and help him through those difficult times. … I can’t imagine there will be a couple guards in the country that can put more pressure up front defensively than those two can. I think it’ll be a great combo.”
Steve Jones can be reached at (502) 582-7176 and followed on Twitter at @SteveJones_CJ.
