TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — When Nate Oats took the University of Alabama job two years ago, the Crimson Tide only had one true point guard on its roster with Kira Lewis Jr., who is now with the New Orleans Pelicans.
And that was a problem, given Oats' play-style of multiple guards being on the floor at the same time and the pace he wanted to run at.
The staff tried to tell him that then-junior wing Herbert Jones could also play the position as well but the newly-minted Crimson Tide coach just couldn't picture it happening.
"I still remember when I got hired during one of our first staff meetings looking at the roster and seeing we only had one point guard," Oats told the media zia Zoom on Tuesday. "Kira Lewis and knowing the way we like to play, we would like to have three of four of those. My second-to-last year at Buffalo when we beat Arizona in the NCAA tournament, we started three point guards. I said who else is going to play the point? The staff tried to tell me Herb Jones but I didn't see it for myself on the videos I had watched going into the interview. I kinda looked at it funny. I didn't want to not believe the staff but I didn't believe them. That's when we said [Jaden] Shackelford could play some point as well."
Fast forward to Jones' senior year, and even he, is surprising Oats with his play.
The Greensboro, Ala. native is averaging 11.9 points, a team-high 5.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks. Not to mention, he is shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 52.8 percent from three-point range.
As a defensive force, Jones is also is the engine that runs the Crimson Tide's offense manning the point guard spot, where Oats didn't see it flourishing at first in his system.
Now a Naismith Player of the Year candidate, Jones's senior year is going just about as well as anyone could have imagined, even Oats.
"I didn't see it then," Oats added. Now, I didn't watch all their games. I watched enough to be knowledgeable, just enough to get hired. I loved Herb's game. Everyone talks about our offense, but really if you want to win games, you better be big on defense. Herb's defense is unbelievable. How he's playing this year? No, I didn't see that before I got here. Once we started practicing that summer I could see it a little bit. I thought he was going to be an all-league player but he just couldn't stay healthy his junior year.
"His shooting has come a long way. He couldn't shoot very well his junior year and he's worked his tail off to get to that point. He's over 50 percent on the year, which is incredible coming from where he came from. That's all him and his work ethic in the gym in the offseason. But outside of the shooting, the playmaking, the 6-foot-8 point-guard skills, the passing, I saw all that last fall, he just couldn't stay healthy. He was leading the SEC in assist-turnover ratio last January when got back from that hyper-extended elbow and before he broke his wrist at LSU. You saw it for a stretch last year, but everyone didn't see it for a stretch long enough because of his health."
A hyper-extended elbow and fractured wrist put a damper on Jones' junior year, and even during this current season, a nagging back injury suffered on Jan. 23 against Mississippi State has hampered him over the past month or so before exploding for a career-high 21 points versus Georgia this past weekend.
Jones says he is playing at "70-80 percent" right now and that this injury isn't as severe because it doesn't affect his offensive ability like the one last year did.
"It doesn't bother me too much," Jones said.
However, before the career-outing against Georgia, there was a four-game stretch after initially hurting his back where Jones didn't score in double-figures, but he says that has to do with being limited in practice.
"It was difficult towards the beginning," Jones said. "Because I was still kind of stiff. Not being able to practice made me rusty during games. As time went on and I got healthier, it's been pretty easy."
Overall, this season has been a revelation for Jones on the offensive end. He never shot above 28.6 percent from three-point range during his first three years at the Capstone.
Jones only made one triple last year compared to his 19 makes this season.
"A lot," Jones said of his offensive progression. "I mean everyone can see it. I didn't shoot well from three at all my first three years. I spent a lot of time in the offseason on my ball-handling, trying to create shots for my teammates, my passing and my shooting."
His offensive numbers is not something Jones is too worried about. He says that his priority is defense and, as long as he takes care of that, the offense will flow.
"I still just try to go out and do my job on the defensive end," Jones said. "I can't worry too much about the offense. I just want to create for my teammates and then if its my time to score, I will take that opportunity and score."
As the team-leader in blocks, steals and Hard Hat Awards, Jones sets the tone on the end of the floor. It's what motivates Alabama guard Keon Ellis.
"I think he's the best defensive player in the country," Ellis said. "He just does so much. He can guard any position, one through five. He sets the standard for our defense. He is always talking. He's always on the help side and knows what positions our guys should be in. I think he motivates everyone to be better on defense."
Jones and the rest of the Crimson Tide are slated to take on Texas A&M Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m (CT) on SEC Network as long as Alabama is able to travel to the Lone Star State despite a winter storm wreaking havoc across that part of the country.
With only so many games left, Oats is hoping that Jones can accomplish what only two other Alabama players have done before — an elusive triple-double.
"I think he impacts the game in so many different ways," Oats said. "I'd still love to see him get a triple-double. I think he's that good of a player and I think he should get one. Rebounds, deflections, steals, blocks. He had three blocks last game. Even when he's not doing anything that shows up on a stat sheet, he's just kind of mucking things up for the other team's offense when we are on defense. He's so valuable to have on the floor."
The Link LonkFebruary 17, 2021 at 11:13PM
https://ift.tt/2ZndQBN
Herb Jones, Alabama Basketball's Undisputed Leader, Matching His Offensive Ability With His Defense Prowess - Bama Maven
https://ift.tt/3eCf9lu
Herb
No comments:
Post a Comment