Jones ready for bigger role with Dons

From competing in the summer at the Rib City Basketball Shootout to stepping onto the court for his junior season, guard Emmitt Jones is ready to expand his role with the Doniphan Dons.

After competing in Doniphan’s annual basketball jamboree last week, Jones said it was the extract warm-up he needed before the season kicked off. As someone who loves the game, Jones said he couldn’t wait to get back on the floor with his teammates.

“To be perfectly honest, being on the court is one of my favorite places to be, so I’m excited for the season,” Jones said. “We’ve had some good practices so far, and I’ve done a ton of work in the gym this past summer. My goal for the season is to improve overall and step up for the team when needed because I’m willing to be whatever is necessary for our team to succeed.”

The Dons finished 17-10 the previous season and had an early exit in the Class 4 District 1 Tournament to Notre Dame. While the team didn’t go as far as Jones would’ve liked, he was pleased to make the All-District team because it showed his work didn’t go unnoticed.

Though the Dons have held solid records over the past three seasons, their luck in the playoffs hasn’t gone as smoothly. Jones said one thing he would love this team to accomplish this year is getting to the district championship.

Jones said his three-point shooting was one of the main skills he wanted to improve during the offseason. He said knocking down shots from beyond the arch was not the best during his freshman and sophomore years, but after years of work, he’s gained more confidence with letting the ball fly.

“I worked extremely hard on my shooting during the summer,” Jones said. “I literally stayed in the gym shooting all the time along with one of my buddies, Corey Shipp. In my earlier years, I struggled with my shooting, but I kept working, and now, if I’m open, I have the confidence to pull up and knock that shot down.

“Creating shots is just something that I’m just going to have to develop because coach (Jarvis) Reed said I’m going to get face-guarded a lot this year. I just have to play my game, and if I get to where I start forcing things, I just have to tell myself to get my teammates involved and understand that my time will come. I just want to be there for the team this year and play to the best of my abilities.”

The Dons will kick off their regular season in the Current River Challenge in Van Buren on Saturday. With a few key returners for the Dons, Jones said having the experiences within the varsity will be great for them, and he hopes they will have all their ducks in a row before opening day.

“I know a lot of people may think we’re going to be down this season, but this team is tough,” he said. “With a new coach this year, it will be about establishing our game. It’s going to be a rough season, but we’re going to be competitive. We want to get everybody better, we want to be able to land those tough shots and do everything that we can to help us advance to the next team. I think it’ll be a good season, but it can be rough if we don’t take care of the little things.”