If there was an MVP of S1 for each age group, Jones would’ve had a strong argument for the 17U level. Melo finished 2-1 on the weekend and Jones reminded everyone why he’s one of the more explosive scoring guards in the DMV, but it was his playmaking for others that left the bigger impression. He averaged over five assists per game and whether it was his end-to-end speed putting pressure on the defense or him getting to his left hand coming off ball screens, Jones’ vision covers the entire floor and he has the ability to whip one-handed dimes on a rope to weakside shooter, rollers to the rim or to his bigs popping out beyond the arc following the action. Scoring wise, he needs little space coming off DHO’s to get his shot off. He uses the gravity that his outside shot presents to mix things up with an effective change-of-pace approach in space where he can establish a downhill advantage and finish through contact if necessary.

Jones averaged and impressive 21PPG, 5.5APG, 3.5RPG and 3.0SPG on the weekend.

Somewhat of a slow start for Jones in the first quarter of this matchup was quickly put to rest with a productive three quarters to help steer Melo to a win. Jones is one of those naturally gifted scorers that forces his defender to be paranoid anytime the ball is in his hands. Where his game has really grown over the last six months is his ability to play at different speeds. The defender has to stay attached at all costs given his ability to score it off the bounce, but his ability to accel with twitch makes him a nightmare in ball screens, DHO’s or in transition as he can gain an advantage and then maintain elite body control on the deceleration while finishing at tough angles. The other wrinkle of his game that should shine this summer is his court vision. Jones is no stranger to whipping cross court passes off the live dribble to weak side shooters in their shooting pockets.

-Jones filled it up in bunches throughout the year, often re-entering games with a splash by knocking down perimeter jumpers and turning opponents over before they crossed over halfcourt to stack stops and buckets to build leads or cut into deficits. Love his change of speed when attacking opponents in the halfcourt to get downhill to finish with one hand above the rim, maneuver around the defense with euro steps, or earn trips to the free throw line. Jones improved his POA defense to fight over screens at the top of the key more effectively to generate the turnovers that are the lifeblood of SFA’s explosive scoring runs. While there is still room for improvement as an efficient scorer in the halfcourt, our scouts took note of the improved consistency of his scoring outputs as well as some improved playmaking that make him a more balanced threat on a nightly basis.

The thing I love about Jones is while he’s one of the most explosive scorers in the 2027 DMV class, he’s able to adjust and remain effective when a teammate is having a career night like Fisk was. He plays the role of a demoralizing shot maker as the defense’s attention and effort shifted towards containing Fisk only for Jones to come sprinting off pin downs or elevator screens and burying back-breaking three’s. He followed Fisk with 19 points on the night on 4/7 from deep. It was his ability to embrace Fisk being hot by getting into the paint at will and looking for his running mate whether it was in a half court setting or in transition. Along with his efficient scoring performance, Jones added seven rebounds and five assists on the evening.

This event offered the stage that Jones tends to thrive on and yesterday was no different. It was a quiet first half for the southpaw combo guard as he went into halftime with three points. He added another bucket in the third, but the fourth period was where he really got into his flow. Jones stepped up is aggression and quickly showed the local crowd that he’d spearhead St. Frances’ ultimate comeback win that took overtime to complete. Not only did he convert a huge 4-point play after getting fouled on a three-point attempt to tie the ball game with less than 2 minutes in the game, he’d go on to hit the buzzer-beating triple that forced the overtime session and give his Panthers the time needed to secure control. He’s a fearless Baltimore guard whose confidence never wavers, which is why he’s one of the more potent scorers you’ll find in the Baltimore/DMV regardless of class. Jones would score a game-high 23 points

Jones is back to his full form after missing a stretch of games with the flu earlier in the month. He put relentless pressure on the John Carroll defense in transition where he looked to get to the rim in the flash and if his team didn’t have the numbers advantage, he’d slow thing down a hunt his three-point shot. Off the ball he had a few timely fades to the corner with guys like Anthony Smith Anthony Smith 6'0" | PG/CG St. Frances Academy | 2026 MD or Carter Fisk Carter Fisk 6'2" | CG/SG St. Frances | 2027 State MD zipped skip passes to him for quick catch-and-shoots. Jones did a nice job converting at the line, had a couple of nice assists on drive and dump-offs and did his diligence on the glass with six rebounds. He led St. Frances with 22 points.

Getting out to an early lead in this game would end up being setting the tone for the remainder of this game and Jones had his fingerprints all over it as he was responsible for all 11 of St. Frances’ points out of the gate to build an 11-0 lead. The 6-foot southpaw came out in the zone and needed the slightest of shooting windows to let it fly with confidence. 9 of his first 11 came from deep on hand-offs or slow rotations in ball screens as his man fought to get back and contest. From there, the defense was at his mercy as he started using the demand of gravity to bait his matchup with hesitations and an array of crossovers to get to the bucket and finish with feathery touch. On Sunday’s win over Carroll (DC), you could tell that Jones’ bout with the flu took the energy (and even some weight) from him, so it was good to see him back in his flow state in what is the best rivalry game in Baltimore. He was good for 27 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Coming into the season, St. Frances’ roster was nearly depleted from the transfer portal, but Jones remained as a foundational piece that was expected to shoulder much of the offensive production. He’s done that and more while leading the Panthers to a couple of wins over top-15 programs while sporting an 18-3 record. They’ve exceeded all expectations and Jones’ dynamic scoring ability is a main reason for their success. Whether it’s designed offensive sets or creating something out of nothing, having a savvy scoring southpaw like Jones has proven to be a formula for success for head coach Nick Myles and company. His impact on winning has warranted slight boost in this update.

Jones and his backcourt mate, Carter Fisk Carter Fisk 6'2" | CG/SG St. Frances | 2027 State MD , nearly accounted for every point that the Panther scored. The 6-foot southpaw lead guard scored 23 points and consistently created his own opportunities getting downhill with his left hand. Jones has a quick trigger and good pre-catch footwork coming off pindowns and on multiple occasions, made his defender pay for being a second late on the closeout. Although he struggled from the charity stripe for a scorer of his standard, Jones did a nice job of slithering his way to the rim and jumping into the chest of opposing defenders to draw the referee’s whistle.

-The lightning-quick guard retains his position in the class as he is now the unquestioned leader in the room for SFA. The southpaw can create for himself at all 3 levels, is rarely beaten to a 50/50 ball, generates paint touches virtually whenever he wants, and is especially dynamic in transition. Should be in the running for MIAA and BCL Player of the Year this season as he will likely play a huge role in SFA’s success this season.