From Ohio Dominican to Daemen University and now Otterbein, Jarius Jones has had a tumultuous college career. But now it seems, at his third school in as many years, the talented guard has finally found a home.
A highly touted prospect in high school, Jones missed out on multiple Division 1 offers after both COVID-19 and an ACL tear derailed his senior season at Gahanna Lincoln High School.
“At that time I was lost because I lost all the interest and offers, so I didn’t even know if I was going to play college basketball,” Jones said. “Fortunately for me, my coach, Tony Staib, connected me with the coach at Ohio Dominican, and they allowed me to redshirt and really take my time with that ACL process.”
After the redshirt year, Jones rebounded from his injury to become one of the Panthers’ most effective players, finishing second on the team in both points and minutes per game.
“At first it was nerve-racking, I hadn’t played for a year and a half,” Jones said. “Once I got my confidence, it was a fun year just playing basketball again, and I really got back to my speed and playing at my pace.”
Looking to join a more winning culture, Jones transferred to Daemen University in Buffalo, New York for his sophomore year. Things, however, did not go as planned.
“In practice I would be doing well and giving effort, but it never was enough to get on the court,” Jones said. “It made me realize that I wanted to go somewhere where I could practice and literally earn my minutes.”
Entering the transfer portal a second time, Jones garnered interest from many OAC schools. But he said something was different about the culture at Otterbein.
“When I started talking to Andy [Winters] and getting to know how good of a guy he was, he made me understand how it’s more than basketball here,” Jones said.
It also helped that once Jones committed, he hit it off with his teammates.
“Cam [Evans] and Brennan [Rains], I was coming up to play hoops with them in the summer and then chilling back with them," Jones said. "We just always had that connection.”
This year, Winters, the head basketball coach, is challenging Jones with a big task: guarding the other teams’ best player while also being a key contributor on offense. Jones, however, knows he’s the man for the job.
“It’s a challenge that I really wanted,” Jones said. “Playing both sides and using my God-given abilities on defense and offense.”
For Jones and the Cardinals, the wait is finally over as they they open on the road this Friday against La Roche, before playing their home opener Sunday Nov. 17 at the Rike Center at 2:00 p.m. against Wooster.
