Loading ...How good is a word? Jones rumored to commit
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by webstaff | Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - 5:00 pm UTC
According to the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Eshaunte Jones, the star player of North Side High School, will verbally commit to play for the Indiana Hoosiers in a press conference later today.
Jones would be the second member of Sampson’s 2008 recruiting class along with Georgetown, KY native Bud Mackey.
But a source of The Hoosier Scoop has brought that report into question. An unnamed source told us that although he was expecting Jones to eventually become a Hoosier, he wasn’t anticipating Jones to hold a press conference today. The source said he was expecting word sometime mid-week, possibly Thursday.
Although confusion circulates around the timing of the commitment, it is clear among those close to the situation that Jones will end up wearing cream and crimson.
The 6-foot-4 Jones has been pursued by Indiana along with other big midwestern schools such as Cincinnati and Missouri.
If Jones were to commit, he wouldn’t join the likes of Eric Gordon, Jamarcus Ellis, Eli Holman and Brandon McGee in time for next season. Jones has already decided that he will attend prep school next season (possibly Hargrave Military Academic, the same prep school Jordan Crawford attends) before he starts his collegiate career.
The Journal-Gazette reported that Jones would attend prep school because of “both†grades and physical stature.
The addition of Jones would provide much needed backcourt depth for 2008. By the start of the season, the Hoosiers will have lost Rod Wilmont, Errek Suhr, Earl Calloway, A.J. Ratliff and Adam Ahlfeld to graduation.
Jones could also help fill a void caused by another one of the Hoosier’s newest recruits. Long before he ever signed a letter of intent, it was assumed by many that Gordon would be “one-and-done†when it comes to his career in Bloomington.
“He can play the point, but he is more suited for the two,” Game Night’s Casey O’Boyle said. “He’s got unlimited range. He reminds me of Jay Edwards in terms of that silky jumpshot.”
O’Boyle, whose magazine Game Night covers Fort Wayne sports, confirmed that Jones would be attending prep school due to “academic issues.”
The North Side high school student averaged 19 points a game his junior season. He is the No. 82 on Rivals.com recruit ratings for the class of 2007.
As a member of the ’08 class, Jones would not be signing a letter of intent today. He wouldn’t be able to sign a letter until next year. Surely your “unnamed source” must understand this.
Good catch, Luke. We didn’t mean to use the word “sign.” Our source said he did not expect Jones to hold a press conference or make a formal announcement today.