First there was Jameer Nelson… Now there is Carl “Tay” Jones! Many of you are familiar with St. Joseph basketball from their incredible season in 2003-2004. Not only did that squad have a 27-0 regular season record, they also made a CRAZY tournament run all the way down to the Elite8 where they lost a close buzzer beater game to advance to the Final 4. The #1 ranked team in the nation at one point were led by Jameer Nelson (Now of the Orlando Magic) alongside, Delonte West (Boston Celtics). My point is, those two current NBA guards started somewhere, and it is the EXACT spot that Carl Jones is currently in!
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Coming off of one of the best freshman seasons one could ask for, Tay isn’t even satisfied! Playing in ALL 31 games as a freshman, and even averaging 9.6 points a game, he knows there so much more to come. But when I tell you about Tay, I’m not just speaking for my own good, I’m telling you; he is the REAL DEAL!!! He hit double figures 13 times last season, including scoring 16 points with two assists and two steals against rival Villanova (The Holy War rivalry game) which is a basketball powerhouse and title contender every year. Remember, this is a freshman we are talking about! He was also named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week for Nov. 22, for averaging 17 points and 3.5 rebounds in victories over Boston College and Holy Cross.
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Now, going into his sophomore year, Tay has visions of nothing but success! He told me two goals that he has approaching this season; make it to the dance (NCAA tournament), and make 1st team all conference (Atlantic10). For many, you might be saying those are high hopes for just a sophomore to have. But for Tay, it’s nothing major at all, just basic goals and personal expectations that he plans on reaching. He also prays during every national anthem, so that lets you know Tay values the fact of without the man above, nothing would be possible. Out of curiosity, I asked him where his favorite place to play was and he told me “Duke”; keep in mind, that’s arguably the HARDEST gym to play at in college basketball, EVER! So you see the competitive and fearless mentality that he has. Don’t get it twisted, Tay didn’t end up at St. Joes by chance… He was heavily recruited throughout the country coming out of high school, (Marquette, USC, Xavier, Penn St, etc) but in the end, he felt that St. Joes would be the best fit for him and his future. Tay is extremely happy with his decision and thankful for his current role on the team.
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Tay has always been known as a quiet, laid back and keep to himself kind of person, but he has always let his actions speak louder than his words. If you ask Tay where he sees himself in 5 years, he will tell you, “In the league” (NBA). He is also majoring in business, which makes a good combination once you know what his favorite quote is; “Premature Millionaire”. So you get the point, he’s focused, on a mission, and definitely about getting money… TAY JONES HAS MONEY ON HIS MIND!!!
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