Courtney Jones’ father admits he initially underestimated his daughter’s basketball abilities.
But the Midfield, Ala., native found her way into the gym on Saturday mornings with her father, Cleveland. She had a shot to learn the game in elementary school.
“She’s always been a headstrong kid,” Cleveland said. “I let her start doing the drills with me … technique-wise, she just had it in her. She put down the debutante balls and stuck with it.”
Jones, now a junior, came to LSU ranked as one of the top 20 forward prospects in the country by HoopGurlz.com. She has primarily come off the bench, starting 24 of 88 career games played, but the enthusiasm she brings to the court does not go unnoticed.
“Courtney is an energizer, a spark plug,” said LSU senior guard Katherine Graham. “When she comes on the court, you see a tremendous energy boost with the team. That’s a good formula for any team to have, a player we can look forward to coming in.”
Jones stepped up in LSU’s home game Feb. 10 against Auburn, recording her first career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench.
Jones said she has a knack for “anticipating the flow” of the game, although she said her passing can be shaky.
“I’m not a big scorer, but I find other areas where I can help my team out, whether it’s defending or rebounding or just getting players open,” she said. “I do need to make better decisions on passing the ball. Sometimes they tend to get deflections on the ball, or I try to force the pass to where it’s not open.”
Cleveland said Courtney’s major downfall is overanalyzing.
“She tries so hard and tries to do everything,” he said. “She’s unselfish. … She’ll make a pass when she should make a shot, and when she gets to the free throw line she gets so tense. I have to tell her to settle down and breathe or you’ll have an aneurysm.”
Courtney said nerves were an initial factor in the Auburn game.
“When I came out there I was pretty nervous … I really wasn’t finishing shots,” she said. “I decided to put more into playing defense and getting stops around the basket, and I got more relaxed.”
Courtney reached double figures in four earlier games this season, including consecutive 18-point efforts against Louisiana Tech and Prairie View A&M in December. It was her first career game with double figures in rebounds, eclipsing her previous career high of nine.
LSU coach Van Chancellor contemplated starting Jones against Kentucky, but he said the coaching staff was split on the issue. Courtney eventually scored seven points and three rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench.
“The greatest misnomer about coaching is that it’s who starts the game,” Chancellor said. “It’s who finishes the game.”
Cleveland said LSU was on Courtney’s mind since age 7, when a stuffed LSU Tiger was one of her precious possessions.
Back in Midfield, population 5,635, Cleveland said Courtney is a celebrity.
“She’s an icon here in Alabama,” he said. “I had a guy stop me the other day to say he knew Courtney when she was a baby. I can go to my hometown and they’ll be like, ‘Give me a Courtney Jones jersey.'”
Courtney said her idol is Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. Her father encourages her to remember Bryant’s leadership under pressure when she tries to undertake too much.
“I love that man,” Courtney said of Bryant. “I have a pair of his shoes, and I watch all his games.”
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