Jones’ Stature Still Growing : Basketball: North Hollywood High’s senior All-City forward has made a quick ascent to the top despite a late start in the sport.

When Dana Jones picked up his first basketball at North Hollywood High two years ago, his long arms weren’t exactly sure what to do with it.

The only sport in which Jones’ growing body had competed was football. Except for a few pickup games on neighborhood courts, basketball remained a mystery to him.

But Jones’ first awkward moments on the court failed to fool North Hollywood Coach Steve Miller, who knows how to recognize talent. From the moment the sophomore decided to try out for the team, Miller knew he had a winner.

In the two years since his tentative start, Jones has turned an inexperienced basketball background into a number of scholarship offers. The 6-foot-6 senior forward, who recently signed a letter of intent with Pepperdine, is expected to contend for player-of-the-year honors in the City Section 3-A Division. And North Hollywood rates among the best teams in the division.

Jones has suffered few setbacks in his relatively fast rise to the top. This will mark his third season as a starter; the Huskies, meanwhile, will be seeking their fourth consecutive league title.

“The minute I saw Dana, I knew I had something special,” said Miller, entering his fifth year at the school.

“He has natural ability unlike anyone I’ve ever seen. He’s by far the best player I’ve ever had in 25 years of coaching. You can coach your whole life and never come across a kid like this.

“The thing that is really exciting is that he is getting better all the time. He hasn’t even started to hit his peak yet. It’s hard to imagine how good he’ll be in a couple of years.”

Jones was 6-foot-2 and weighed 140 pounds when he started his first varsity game. He averaged six points and eight rebounds a game that season and showed progress by averaging 20 points in the final four games.

When he lined up at forward last season, he stood 6-foot-5 and increased his averages to 20 points and 13 rebounds a game. His unselfish play and blocking ability helped earn him first-team All-City honors.

As he starts his senior season, Jones is 6-6, 185 pounds, and still growing. A strong showing in summer tournaments vaulted him into the thick of the recruiting picture. His decision to attend Pepperdine was made more difficult by strong bids from Loyola Marymount and Cal.

Jones generally is regarded as one of the top 20 players in the state and is considered the No. 1 prospect in the Valley.

“In preseason listings, I’d have Dana among the top 20 players in the state,” said David Pump of the California Cage Report, based in Los Angeles. “But he is a late developer and possesses all the skills to be a great player. I would imagine he’ll easily be in the top 10 by the end of the season.”

The increased attention hasn’t changed Jones’ attitude toward the game. He remains low-key when talking about his talents.

“I’ve been happy with my progress the last couple of seasons, but I need to keep improving,” Jones said. “My goal this year is to get to the Sports Arena and to be named player of the year. I think both are very attainable. But neither will be easy. Hard work always is the key.”

Miller said that determination has been the key to Jones’ progress.

“He just loves the game,” Miller said. “His concentration level is so intense, he actually spends more time working on defense than offense. That’s unusual in a basketball player.

“In fact, the only complaint I have of Dana is that when things go bad, sometimes he really gets down on himself. But that’s only happened about three times in two years, so I don’t have much to get mad about.”

Jones appears to have the necessary support to take the Huskies to the division title. North Hollywood was undefeated in the regular season last season with Jones, compiling a 10-0 record in Valley Pac-8 Conference play.

The Huskies lost four of five games before conference play when Jones was sidelined because of a broken wrist. The team finished 15-5, dropping a first-round playoff game to Jefferson.

“I know my role on this team is to go out and take charge on the court,” Jones said. “I know we can’t win without a team effort. But I also know I’m a leader and the guy who ultimately has to get it done. As long as we get to run with the ball, we’ll be successful.”

Teammates need only recall last week’s rout of Los Angeles in a scrimmage to understand Jones’ importance. He scored 38 points and added 22 rebounds, eight assists and 10 blocked shots.

“Believe me, we know that for us to do well, Dana has to do well,” said Eric Jackson, a junior forward. “I’m positive he’ll improve all of his averages this season. Dana is as serious and competitive a player as I’ve seen. But he jokes around too, and he’s a lot of fun to be on the court with. I don’t think there’s any jealousy. As far as I know, he doesn’t have any enemies.”

Jones seems to be as popular off the court as he is on it. Teachers seem to enjoy his work habits. He maintains a respectable 2.6 grade-point average and said that he already has achieved a 700 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test.

Miller compares Jones’ steady progress on the court to the molding of a piece of clay. And for those who have seen him in action, they know the molding has gone well.

Although he has been a defensive-minded player, Jones expects to become more of an offensive threat this season with the improvement of his outside shot.

“Dana is just now starting to blossom,” said Bob Williams, the Pepperdine assistant coach who recruited Jones. “He’s just an extremely good athlete. He’s a huge recruit for us. We’re optimistic he’ll be capable of stepping in and contributing right away. If we could have had any recruit in the state, it still would have been Dana Jones.”

Because the magnet school Jones attended during junior high did not field a basketball team, his athletic experience was limited to playing defensive end and wide receiver in football.

His arrival at North Hollywood changed all that, and it didn’t take him long to find a home on the basketball court. He knew almost immediately that the game would be his ticket to college.

“Basketball didn’t catch my eye when I was younger,” he said. “Once I started playing, though, I really enjoyed it. The highlight of my career so far is getting to go to college. I’m happy with my choice. Let’s hope it all continues to work out.”