Williams, surprise for Jones highlight Memphis senior day
Deandre Williams and David Jones’ sister were surprise participants during Memphis basketball’s senior day ceremony prior to Sunday’s roaring 106-87 victory at Fedexforum.
Williams, a former Tigers star, accompanied Nae’qwan Tomlin to midcourt before Memphis (22-8, 11-6 AAC) tipped off against UAB in the last home game of the 2023-24 season. Tomlin, a midseason transfer from Kansas State, has consistently drawn comparisons to Williams for his versatility, his skill at the forward position and the enthusiasm he plays with.
Jones was escorted on to the court by someone else, but his sister, Flor Elena, surprised her brother. The Tigers’ leading scorer reacted passionately, and he and his sister — who lives in Florida and is in the military — hugged for more than a minute as fans cheered loudly.
After the game, Flor Elena sat in on the players’ news conference, which included Jones, Tomlin and Jahvon Quinerly. She even took the microphone toward the end and asked her brother why he never acknowledged her as he was leading the team with 32 points.
Jones formed a heart with his hands and smiled wide.
“You know me. You know I be too, like, thinking on the game,” he said. “But I was thinking about you, though. You know that. I said I was thinking about you every time I was making a bucket. I knew where you were, too. I love you, though.”
Flor Elena, who lives in Florida and is a member of the United States Navy, said she arrived in Memphis on Saturday. But she did not know she would be able to attend until late Friday. Jones, who said he suspected something was up when he called her prior to Sunday’s tip-off and she did not answer, added it has been a while since he has seen his sister in person.
“She basically lied to me,” he said, joking. “When I saw her running on the court, I didn’t know what to do. I cried a little bit, but I had to wipe it off. Because I don’t like to cry in front of people.”
Jones has another season of eligibility remaining, but he opted to take part in the senior day ceremony. He has not stated publicly whether he will return to Memphis next season.
Others recognized prior to tip-off were Tomlin, Quinerly, Jayden Hardaway and Caleb Mills. Seniors Malcolm Dandridge and Jaykwon Walton opted to accept their framed Memphis jerseys privately. Dandridge has been withheld from competition the past three games while the school reviews a potential issue with his eligibility status.
The Tigers’ regular-season finale is set for March 9 at FAU (11 a.m. CT, CBS).
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or follow him @munzly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.