Most underrated, under-appreciated guard in the Big East last season

[Brad]

Bulls Eye

The best Big East player you’ve never heard of

Meet Dominique Jones. The most underrated, under-appreciated guard in the Big East last season, Jones operates offense for the South Florida Bulls.

A standout sophomore on the downtrodden, dungeon-dwelling Big East program that’s starving for a national glance, Jones isn’t worried about skyrocketing to stardom.

Not being mentioned in the same breath as other top-flight Big East guards never seems to get to Jones. He doesn’t think twice about it. He’s a cool customer. Throughout his career, coaches learn that DJ’s never bothered by the lack of individual shine, headlines, or the fact that he’s yet to crack the All-Conference team.

Jones doesn’t keep tabs on his numbers or mentions in USF forums, hound the Public Relations guy for stat sheets, or compare himself to other high volume scorers/playmaking guards who may be getting more love. Not Jones, he of the thick southern drawl and dieseled-up, tattoo-drenched arms.

He didn’t self-boast about establishing a new high-water mark when he hung 36 on Iona College. He was more content with scoring a non-conference victory to halt a two-game slide. At South Florida, pretty much any non-conference game is a must-win.

With a revived recruiting class featuring 6-11 JUCO transfer Jarrid Famous, who etched his name in record book lure at Westchester Community College (Valhalla, NY), the Highlands County tide could abruptly turn.

Through his win-crazy energy and high-motor style, it’s visible that personal accolades are meaningless to Jones, a chiseled 6-4 guard. Surprising people as a team, progressing on a day-to-day basis, and maintaining his role as USF’s do-it-all guard are first and foremost.

Link to rest of story

Great to see someone outside of Tampa do a piece on DoJo.  DoJo is quieyly working his way into the Top 5 greatest players to ever run the court for South Florida.

[South_Florida_Flip]

Very good read.

Brad, DoJo has a real chance to be more of a Top 3 player for this program if he continues his improvement.

[Triple B]

Great piece on DoJo but "downtrodden, dungeon-dwelling Big East program" ..... "squad can’t swim with the sharks of the Big East ocean and is instead situated with the algae and plankton at rock-bottom" ...  **** .....Were we honestly THAT bad last year??

[Mama_Bull]

Great piece on DoJo but "downtrodden, dungeon-dwelling Big East program" ..... "squad can’t swim with the sharks of the Big East ocean and is instead situated with the algae and plankton at rock-bottom" ...  **** .....Were we honestly THAT bad last year??

I remember a time when our football team was also called "Plankton" in some article. LOL

[Brad]

Very good read.

Brad, DoJo has a real chance to be more of a Top 3 player for this program if he continues his improvement.

on a phone not using wap so bear with me...

Top 3?

Who would exit the Top 3?

The top guys as I see it are Bradley, Atkins, Dobras.  He is sort of following the path of Chucky.  I suppose he'd dislodge Dobras.  But considering Dobras' toolset, it's a tough comparison.

[Matt]

devil's advocate.....

did Bradley, Atikins, Dobras have to play against the talent on a day in, day out basis as DoJo and do so being the lone gun???

i say this not having seen a single game played by bradley, atkins, or dobras while they were at USF.

[Brad]

Good point Matt, but as hard as it is to compare Bradley & Atkins to BE competition it is equally hard to assume they couldn't still do what they did.  After all, Atkins is STILL in the NBA. 

[Brad]

Secondly, it's also relative as to what they did for USF...Bradley, got us probably the most national press of any player...leading the nation is scoring as a sophomore.

Thirdly, no one looks at Ty Cobb, Cy Young, and question whether what they accomplished would be relevant in today's game.  Know what I mean?

They are what they are.  As young as we are, er USF is,  (relatively speaking) we have our own legends already. 

[Triple B]

Secondly, it's also relative as to what they did for USF...Bradley, got us probably the most national press of any player...leading the nation is scoring as a sophomore.

Thirdly, no one looks at Ty Cobb, Cy Young, and question whether what they accomplished would be relevant in today's game.  Know what I mean?

They are what they are.  As young as we are, er USF is,  (relatively speaking) we have our own legends already. 

Agree, with the colored exception above. I don't think the Ty Cobb, Cy Young analogy works. We're not talking a time differential here as much as a competitive gap. The baseball guys played against the highest level of their day .... I agree with Flip that there is a chance for him to move into the top 3, but only with success in post season tournaments, meaning NIT or NCAA.

[Brad]

There is "time differential" which as a result created a competitive gap.

Baseball has changed a lot since the Ty Cobb days, just as Basketball at USF has changed a lot since the Sun Belt days.

Nonetheless, the point remains that DoJo, while perhaps under-rated and under appreciated (by those not knowledgeable of the game or him), is positioning himself as one of the greatest of all time at South Florida.