Colby Jones: Beyond his years
Colby Jones looks like he’s already played four years of high school basketball.
He has a calm demeanor that transcends the moment, no matter how big or small. The magnitude of big games, like the Class 6A Northeast Regional Semifinal he played in last season, doesn’t faze him.
He shows consistent effort on both ends of the floor, and possesses a refined skill set that made his coach, Cedric Lane, bold enough to proclaim Jones as a future “Mr. Basketball” candidate before he had even played a game at Pinson Valley High School.
But in reality, Jones is just a sophomore at Pinson Valley.
“He’s a natural,” Lane said. “Some stuff you can teach, but he has more natural tangibles than anything.”
Jones shows a maturity beyond his years, which gives him the ability to adequately lead a team with high expectations this season.
“He’s a self-starter, a real independent worker,” Lane said. “He’s one of those kids that doesn’t have to be told what to do. He just gets it done.”
Jones comes from a family with basketball in its blood. His father, Chad, played at UAB, while his older brother, C.J., is currently a sophomore at Arkansas. Jones will almost certainly have the ability to extend his career beyond his high school days
“I’ve learned that it doesn’t get any easier,” said Jones of what he’s been told about playing at the college level.
Jones was a major contributor on last season’s team, which earned that regional berth thanks to his last-second put-back to defeat Ramsay in the sub-regional round. This year, Lane has put even more responsibility on his plate.
“He’s one of our main leaders,” Lane said. “He’s also one of the guys we rely heavily on to score and rebound. Everyone is responsible for playing defense and rebounding, but we rely heavily on Colby to score the ball.”
Offensively, Jones is big enough to exploit mismatches in the paint, but he has a sweet shooting stroke that is lethal from beyond the 3-point arc and in the mid-range game.
“I take the easy shot if it’s there,” he said. “I don’t force anything.”
Jones said it “makes me a whole lot better” that the Indians have a handful of other players that can score the ball and lead the team on the stat sheet, including Orion Morris and Geordon Pollard.
Lessons have been learned from last year as well, and Jones feels like the Indians will be better prepared this time around.
Last year, the Indians failed to secure the ball in the final minute and allowed Oxford to escape with a 60-58 win.
“It opened our eyes,” Jones said of the experience. “We didn’t know what it was like last year, but this year, we know what it’s like and we’re prepared for it.”
Jones is not just a wizard on the floor. He plays the saxophone in the school band, but for the time being, he’s focused on getting the Pinson Valley basketball team back to the postseason.