Herndon senior forward Danny Jones received the ball on the low block, but backed outside and turned to face the basket. He made a quick stutter-step and then used a crossover dribble to glide past his defender for an easy lay-up.
The move by a 6-foot-6 post player caught host South Lakes by surprise in Herndon’s 68-64 victory on Friday over its nearby rival. But it was more proof that a full offseason devoted solely to basketball has helped Jones develop into one of Northern Virginia’s most versatile frontcourt players.
A talented tight end on the football field, Jones was drawing Division I college interest before being diagnosed with spinal stenosis, a genetic narrowing of the spinal column that puts pressure on nerve endings and causes numbness in a person’s extremities. He was enduring three or four spinal “stingers” a game during his junior season. Doctors eventually advised him to give up football if he wanted to avoid the lingering numbness he sometimes felt.
“It was a hard decision,” Jones said. “But I knew if I kept playing football there would be pressure for me to play that sport in college and that just wasn’t where my heart was. I love playing basketball more.”
Jones, whose basketball offers right now are from Division III schools, is beginning to resemble a Division I basketball player. He is averaging 20 points and 12 rebounds per game for the Hornets (4-0) and adjusting to life without All-Examiner guard Scottie Reynolds (Villanova), the school’s all-time leading scorer.
“I always had to put on all this weight for football so I’d start basketball season at like 230 [pounds] and have to play my way into shape,” said Jones, who scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against the Seahawks on Friday. “But I played basketball all summer and fall, ate healthy, and now I’m in the best shape of my life.”
Stung by the Hornets
» Friday’s win over South Lakes was a milestone for the Hornets as coach Gary Hall earned his 300th career victory against the school where he started his coaching career as a freshman coach 22 years ago.
“It is great to be recognized for something like this. It really does mean a lot,” Hall said. “But it’s even better because I can share it with all the players and coaches who’ve been a part of this program. This is for them as much as for me.”
» Jones is converting 64-percent of his 2-point field goal attempts and 56-percent of his shots overall.
» The Hornets have adjusted without star guard Scottie Reynolds, the three-time Northern Region player of the year. Senior F Richard Gore averages 16 ppg and 8 rpg. Senior G C.J. Glen averages 15.7 ppg.
