University of North Texas Athletics
Guard Jones Being Honored By Garland HOF
9/20/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
DENTON, Texas – North Texas freshman guard Chris Jones is being honored by the Garland Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday after powering Lakeview Centennial to the 5A State Finals in each of the last two years.
Jones, a two-time all-state selection, is being given the Gale Fields Scholarship for outstanding high school athletics, which will be donated to Lakeview Centennial.
He played in the TABC State All-Star Game after earning the District 10-5A MVP awards as both a junior and senior. The Garland native led Centennial to records of 32-3 in 2010 and 36-1 in 2011 and had the Patriots ranked as high as No. 2 in the state polls.
“I thought Chris was the best point guard in Texas last year, and maybe the best player in the state,” said former Lakeview Centennial assistant and current head coach J.T. Locklear. “He was so underrated in everything he did for us from scoring to rebounding and everything in between. He was good for our program and our community. North Texas got a steal in Chris Jones.”
Named All-State by the Texas Association of Basketball coaches as a junior and senior, Jones led the DFW area with 6.9 assists per game and ranked 13th in the area with 16.6 points per game in 2010-11.
“Chris is an exceptional young man and one of the hardest workers you will ever find,” said former Lakeview Centennial head coach Tony Mauldin. “He’s a naturally talented player, but he had the drive to work hard and become the best, and that’s what separates Chris. He’s never satisfied, and that is what makes me so proud of him for this accomplishment.”
For his career, Jones averaged 20.3 points, 3.0 assists and 5.0 steals per game in four state tournament games. Texas Hoops listed Jones as the No. 24 player in the state, and he registers as Hoop Scoop’s 237th ranked player nationally.
“We are extremely excited for Chris,” said North Texas head coach Johnny Jones. “He is very deserving of the accolades that have been bestowed on him, and we are very happy to have him as a part of the Mean Green family.”
As a junior, Jones averaged 13.9 points per game, 5.6 assists per game and 4.2 steals per game, and he scored a team-high 19 and 17 points in the 2010 and 2011 state title games.
Jones is a part of a Mean Green recruiting class being heralded as one of the nation's finest. Hoop Scoop Online rated the NT class No. 31 in the nation prior to the addition of Tony Mitchell (No. 12 nationally in 2010), Roger Franklin (Oklahoma State), Niko Stojiljkovic (U18 French National Team) and Justin Patton (All-SWAC at Grambling State).
