Maryland Basketball Recruiting: Terps eyeing emerging guard from a familiar school
A name to keep an eye on in Maryland basketball recruiting.
St. Frances Academy in Baltimore has become a hub for Maryland basketball as frequent recruiting spot over the years with players like Julian Reese, Jahnathan Lamothe and Derik Queen finding their way to College Park. There could be another one in line.
That's 2027 guard TJ Jones, 6-foot-1 lefty guard can score it in bunches and has proven himself as a catalyst for the top 20 ranked Panthers this season.
"This season has been amazing so far," Jones told IMS. "Last year I got moved up to varsity late in the year, so in the spring and summer I just stayed in the gym to make sure I would have a big year this year and earn my spot. I feel like I've done that."
Jones plays with Team Melo and makes his mark on the E15 team that qualified for Peach Jam this summer. In four games of Peach Jam play, he posted 16 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game averages, along with a 44.4 percent conversion rate from the field.
"Don't leave me open," Jones said when asked to describe his game.
Jones has no lack of confidence in his ability to put the ball in the basket. He can make his mark from all three levels and is especially effective playing with his strong hand. He's more effective playing as an off-ball guard at this point where he can focus on picking his spots, but he isn't a tunnel vision scorer. On drives or quick rotations of the ball, he's a willing passer.
TJ's father, Terence, is where his son gets his bucket-getting acumen and supreme confidence. His father spent three years in college doing the same for Texas A&M Corpus Christi before finishing his college career at UAB in 2012-13.
Jones holds three official offers at this point from Hampton and Nicholls St. and West Virginia, but more mid-to-high major programs have him firmly on their radars, including Maryland. In recent matchups, assistant coach Kevin Norris and director of player personnel/assistant coach Ricky Harris have been frequent visitors.
It's still very early in Jones' recruiting process, so there are plenty of things to play out before a picture can be formed. Per source, Maryland's proximity and connections with the Baltimore area on staff could play a big role down the line within his recruitment if he lives up to his level of play that he's shown thus far. Much of the communication with the Terps' staffers and Jones' circle have been between his father, St. Frances head coach Nick Myles or the Team Melo contingent.
IMS was in attendance for St. Frances' win last night over McDonogh where they erased a double-digit deficit at halftime to win by a final score of 64-57 behind Jones' 16 points.
