Basketball
Heat Sign Another Brit
24 August 2007
Guildford Heat Basketball Club is pleased to announce the signing of 23 year old James Jones, a rookie combination point and shooting guard who comes to the BBL double winning club directly out of university in America. The 6'-4", 12 and half stone Jones is a product of Whitworth University of the Northwestern Conference, an NCAA Div 3 league that also recently produced Sheffield Sharks All-Star Blake Shelton.
Jones joins the Poujoulat-backed Surrey side after completing his final year at Whitworth where Jones was named a Conference All-Star for the tremendous numbers he posted as he led his school to the championship. Despite missing several games mid- season to a broken hand, Jones averaged 16.6pts per game and an incredible 44% from the 3 point line. In addition the lanky guard was no slouch on defense as he averaged 2 steals per game throughout the season.
The native of Manchester is the son of England Basketball Div 1 side Manchester Magic coach Jeff Jones, a former professional player himself in England.
Speaking about his recent signing the top prospect said, "I'm really excited to be joining a championship winning team and one that is playing in Europe as well. I'm going to be working very hard this season to improve as a player and feel that being with such an experienced group of players and coaches will help me to do just that".
Heat head coach Paul James remarked on his new signing, "I'm really excited about starting work with the young British talent we have on the team this season. James comes to us from a family with loads of basketball talent. Jeff his father I had the pleasure of playing against back in the day, his sister is presently a member of the GB women's senior team and has a younger brother that is still at university in the States that is a very good basketball player too. James is a smart, talented combo guard who is equally comfortable playing the point or the off guard positions. Standing 6'4" he has a very solid all round game and I'm really looking forward to what James is going to bring to the team".
Jones is expected to make his Spectrum debut for the Heat Sunday September 15th in the second leg of the BBL Cup Winners Cup against Plymouth Raiders.
» top | more articles | 
| 
| shown 90 times
