Perry Jones
File photo by Keith Owens
Throughout the month of March, MaxPreps.com will highlight 10 high school seniors sure to make a splash in the 2011 NCAA Tournament.
No. 9 Perry Jones
6-11 / 220 / Forward
Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas)
Headed to: Baylor
2009-10 season: Consistency has always been tough to bottle for Jones and his senior season was no exception. He has the ability to look like a future No. 1 NBA Draft pick one night (27 points, 17 rebounds against Irving MacArthur on Jan. 2) and completely disappear and be a non-factor the next (three points against Dallas Carter Dec. 28). Jones averaged 13.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, leading the Panthers to a 21-13 record. He was held to single digits in the scoring column 10 times, which is hard to believe given his talent but also has something to do with a cold-shooting Duncanville squad that gave opponents the opportunity to collapse on the big man.
Next-level analysis: Why all the optimism for a player who underachieved at the high school level?
(1) He’s the most athletic and talented post player in the 2010 class.
(2) Scott Drew.
Two players with nearly identical frames – Michigan transfer Ekpe Udoh (6-10, 240) and former Houston Yates star Anthony Jones (6-10, 195) – have started all 32 games for the Bears this year, so he clearly fits Drew’s vision of a Baylor big man. Anthony Jones posted very similar numbers (13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds per game) to Perry Jones as a senior at Yates. Josh Lomers, a 7-footer who has also started all 32 games and averages nearly 27 minutes per game, is graduating, so that could open up more playing time in the paint.
Baylor, a No. 3 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament field, will be a force in the Big 12 and beyond as long as Drew remains in Waco. He has an eye for talent and Jones is the highest-rated recruit he has signed, so expect him to put the talent to use.
Also see: No. 10 Cory Joseph
