Sophomore shooter features with defense
FAYETTEVILLE — C.J. Jones got in Arkansas’ recruiting game because of his offense.
The reserve sophomore guard now stays in Razorbacks games because of his defense.
Mired behind 2016–2017 senior 3-point marksman Dusty Hannahs and now senior guards Jaylen Barford, Daryl Macon and Anton Beard, the Birmingham, Ala., native shooting guard only averaged six minutes in the 21 games he played for last season’s 26-10 Razorbacks.
Barford, Macon and Beard are averaging 19.6, 14.6 and 11.9 points, respectively, this season. They average 30.1, 28.9 and 30.1 minutes per game and have started all eight games for the 6-2 Razorbacks, but Jones still averages 19.8 minutes off the bench including 26, 21, 20 and 23 minutes for the last four games.
It could be said he shot his way into prominence. Jones hit 20 of 37 field goals these last four games, including 13 of 27 three-pointers, plus 9-for-9 at the foul line while scoring 12, 19, 11 and 19 points. That does not tell the whole story, especially the part coach Mike Anderson relishes most.
“I think defensively he’s doing some good things,” Anderson said Monday before Jones’ off the bench surge helped turn an early 13-2 deficit into Tuesday night’s 92-66 rout over the Colorado State Rams.
“He rebounds now. I think C.J. is really getting more comfortable out on the floor. I think defensively he’s doing some good things. He rebounds now. He’s not getting as lost as he was last year, and that’s just experience. He’s coming off screens. He’s playing the game the right way. So his minutes will continue to go up.”
Jones’ 5-for-5 from the field for 11 firsthalf points resurrected the Hogs along with freshman reserves Daniel Gafford and Darious Hall after five senior starters started in a slump. They certainly seemed to ignite an offensive charge that included zero Arkansas turnovers the entire first half.
“We actually didn’t find that out until after the game,” Jones said of the Hogs handling the ball perfectly for a half. “I didn’t even notice. We moved the ball pretty well and shared it.”
Anderson mentioned that, of course, but it was the off-the-bench defense of the aforementioned three, plus sophomore forward Adrio Bailey and senior forward Arlando Cook, that Anderson discussed most.
“C.J. comes out, and he was lighting it up,” Anderson said. “But I thought it was all triggered by our defense.”
Defensive energy triggers offense, Anderson preaches, especially to his bench brought in to stir things up.
“Coach A loves it when his bench comes off with energy,” Jones said. “So we knew that’s what we had to bring. We brought that spark. Coach was just telling us ‘Get a couple stops!’ Well, multiple stops actually, and we did that.”
Jones’ shooting eye first caught Anderson’s eyes, and it has caught his teammates’ eyes, too, Anderson said. On his current roll, they’ll give him a mulligan after a miss.
“We were sharing the basketball and trusting,” Anderson said of the Razorbacks’ performance against Colorado State. “Like when C.J. got open and missed a shot, they got it right back to him. He has no conscience and knocked it down. That’s a good thing.”
Jones’ 13 of 25 from distance in the past four games seem all the more remarkable because, while most three-point shooters situate to shoot as close to the arc as they can get, Jones seems wandering to another area code.
“I like to shoot really four feet behind the three-point line, because it’s easier for me, actually,” Jones said. “If I’m close to the line, I feel like I’ll miss it. But if I’m back far enough, I feel like I’m going to make it more than when I’m close.”
Backwards logic it seems, but the Hogs will take it. His injury proved temporary, but Macon’s exit during during the loss to North Carolina four games ago inserted Jones to prominence.
“When Daryl had to come out with the injury against North Carolina, my confidence just boosted from there,” Jones said. “I’ve been carrying it on from there these last few games. I’m very comfortable. Very confident.”