San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Leukemia can’t keep Jones from returning
AUSTIN — Their battles weren’t the same. Not by a long shot.
Still, the way Texas fought last year to keep its season alive stirred something in Andrew Jones. All he wanted was to be back out there on the court with his brothers, staving off elimination round after round en route to an NIT championship.
To do that, he first had to beat cancer. “A lot of people were hitting my line,” Jones said. “People were always reaching out to me. But just being able to watch my teammates continue to win, continue to play the sport that they love and I love, motivated me to get back in tip-top shape. It motivated me to keep grinding, keep working hard and stay focused. I wasn’t going to let this disease, this cancer, continue to affect me.”
After a two-game cameo during the 2018-19 campaign, Jones returned to the court for good this past season. The wiry guard finished his final chemo treatment for leukemia last September, then hung a career-high 20 points on Northern Colorado in the Longhorns’ season opener less than a month later.
Not even two full years after his cancer diagnosis, Jones led Texas in 20point games (six) and made 3-pointers (62), ranked second in scoring average (11.5) and emerged as a catalyst during a key late-season surge. For that, the
redshirt sophomore was named Big 12 male sportsperson of the year.
“His courage, strength, and resiliency have served as an inspiration to so many,” Texas coach Shaka Smart said. “It has been especially rewarding to see Andrew’s positive impact extend well beyond the basketball arena. What’s equally exciting is the fact that Andrew continues to grow and develop, both on and off the court. The best is yet to come.”
The fairy tale return wasn’t always smooth. Jones’ body was still recovering after months of chemotherapy.
Not gaunt, but still thin. Not out of shape, but more prone to fatigue. It was weeks before the former five-star recruit was able to consistently to handle the rigors of being an offensive focal point.
“It took me a while to actually get comfortable with the speed of the game, the flow, understanding my role,” Jones said. “But as the season went on I saw my teammates getting hurt, the team was hindered by all those injuries, so I felt like I had an opportunity to step up and play to the best of my abilities to help my team win games. That last stretch got me back in my comfort zone to an extent.”
When the Longhorns suffered a string of crushing injuries late in the season, Jones was prepared. After all he’d gone through in fighting cancer, this seemed almost easy.
Even as Texas operated with only eight and occasionally seven healthy scholarship players, it surged in the Big 12 standings. A devastating fourgame losing skid begat a miraculous five-game winning streak that featured consecutive wins over No. 20 West Virginia and No. 22 Texas Tech.
During that run Jones averaged 17.2 points and connected on 15-of-30 3-pointers. He put up 44 points on 55 percent shooting in those victories over the Mountaineers and Red Raiders, teams ranked among the nation’s top 10 in defensive rating.
And every time “AJ1” did something miraculous on the court, he’d be asked about all the things that happened to him off it. Growing into something of an idol took some getting used to.
“You know, it’s different,” Jones said. “It took a lot of adjustment. But now it’s just part of who I am. A lot of people who have family members who have cancer, or friends who have cancer or who deal with it themselves look to me as a guy who can inspire and motivate them on the court because of the transformation I went through, what I overcame and how I fought to get back to where I used to be. So I kind of appreciate having that attached to my name.”
Jones’ stunning comeback ended abruptly. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the NCAA to cancel the remainder of the season, just as Texas was preparing to play Texas Tech in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals.
It was a blow to the entire team, but Jones felt the sting more than anyone. This would’ve been his first time participating in the conference’s postseason tournament since 2017.
“In my mind I’m thinking I’m finally back, I get to play in the tournament,” Jones said. “Then 90 percent of the way through the season we get hit with a virus. So now everything comes to a halt. It was disappointing. But this time has allowed me to really think, take care of my body, grow and improve from last season and then if we have a season be prepared.”
Whenever the coming college basketball season begins, Texas will be positioned as one of the top teams in the nation. The Longhorns are bringing back every key contributor from a 19-win team and added one of the nation’s most heralded recruits in Greg Brown.
And Jones, finally, will get a chance to continue his story.
“It’s just been a true blessing,” Jones said, “and a humbling experience.”