Player Profile: Jeff Jones

Jeff Jones            6’4” 200lbs

Shooting Guard

Chester, Pennsylvania

 Strengths: Outside Shot, Defense

Needs to Improve:  Size, Aggressiveness

                 Jeff Jones has begun to emerge towards the end of this season as a viable option as the two guard for the UVA basketball team. A heralded shooter, Jones has also begun to show his ability to take his man off the dribble and not rely solely on others to get a shot for him. Jones, a sophomore, started the season battling with Mustapha Farrakhan and Sylven Landesberg for the two guard spot, but with Landesberg moving to small forward Jones beat Farrakhan out and is now the starting shooting guard, and is thriving in that role. Since given the starting spot 4 games ago Jones is averaging 9.25 points per game and playing much more aggressively. In fact I would argue that no one has benefitted more from Coach Leitao’s new, more patient, style than Jones, who is now more relaxed on the court and beginning to take more risks and let his abilities shine. Knowing that he isn’t going to be pulled if he misses a 3 point attempt has allowed Jones to be much more comfortable while shooting and allowed him to rediscover his stroke. Coming into this season it was known that Jones was the best deep threat that the Cavaliers had and now Jones is starting to show it. Jones also displays tremendous hustle and desire on the defensive end of the floor, which all the young cavaliers do. Though it is not reflected in the stats, 10 steals and 2 blocks, Jones’ defensive style takes pressure off of the front court to clean up messes created by a lack of perimeter defense.

                Jones has already begun to improve on his aggressiveness with the ball. His play is much more aggressive taking his man off the dribble to the basket. This has a direct correlation with the new confidence the coach is showing in him and is directly improving Jones’ play on the court. Adding that extra dimension to his game makes the UVA offense that much tougher to defend and improves the team as a whole. Jones does however need to pack a little more meat onto his frame. 200 pounds is generous and if Jones is going to drive into the lane he needs to develop the strength to take the ball to the rim. Also becoming stronger would help him handle the larger guards that are coming into the ACC and make him a bigger matchup problem for opposing defenses.

                Jones is an essential part of the team moving forward. His ability to hit an open jumper makes the opposing defenses respect his shot and not be able to pack it in in order to stop the penetration of Sylven Landesberg and the post scoring of Mike Scott and Assane Sene. However those players also give Jones the ability to get those open looks with the focus on them. Jones could be the beneficiary of the kick out play that is so effective in the college game when everyone crashes down on the post man leaving the shooter wide open. That role will be crucial for the Cavaliers in the development of their offense in the future, which should be one that plays to their strengths, which are penetration and a strong post presence.  If Jones can consistently hit the 3 while still being able to take his man off the dribble he will thrive in this system and help the Hoos develop into a strong ACC team.