Prospect Spotlight: Jordan Jones (2018)
ANAHEIM, Ca. – The Pasadena-based Basketball Training Institute (BTI) squads always stick out on the “grassroots (club)” basketball scene.
And it isn’t because its rosters are always heaping with high-profile college prospects that are usually associated with the squads on the circuits of competition fronted by the major athletic apparel companies, most notably Nike, adidas and Under Armour.
The teams put on the floor by BTI, founded and run by Robert Icart without any of the aforementioned sponsorship, resemble the very best of teams on any level of hoops – as was demonstrated Thursday during the opening day of the Double Pump Best of Summer tournament at the American Sports Centers.
BTI squads move the ball crisply, set solid screens, box out under both backboards and make opponents work for quality shots.
Michael Teller is the acting “head coach”, with Icart and Lee Garson as “assistants”, for the BTI Select team that knocked off one of the Pacific Northwest’ best club teams (Friends of Hoop/Team Lavine (for Zach Lavine, a product of the program) sharp and on-target passing and sizzling jump shooting.
And its players take to the style and approach of the program.
“Everyone gets along, and plays unselfishly, in the program – that’s what attracted me to it,” said Jordan Jones, a 6-foot-4 senior-to-be at Oaks Christian High, which is located just a couple of deep 3-pointers away from the 101 Freeway in Westlake Village.
He had a strong junior season but a lot of college coaches and scouting-types are finally tuning into the caliber of prospect he is over the past couple of weeks.
“He’s really coming on,” said Icart, who resigned at Oaks Christian’s head coach after last season.
“He shoots so well and works so hard on every aspect of his game. And he’s a great kid and student, as well.”
The left-handed Jones – showing off a smile with a set of braces due to be removed next month (“Yes, I’m going to wear my retainer every night”) – has an academic transcript as spiffy as is his jump shot.
“It’s about 3.7,” said Jones, after his GPA was finally coaxed out of him.
It’s weighted, too, by the seven Advanced Placement Courses that he expected to have completed by his senior season.
Coaches from San Jose State and Cal Poly have recently reached out to him and Icart expects more will follow suit shortly.
“I’m not frustrated (by the relative lack of recruiting attention),” Jones said.
“I’ll be patient and work as hard as I can and, hopefully, some more people will start to take notice.”
And, obviously, they already have.