OLYMPIC FESTIVAL : It’s Far From Fun, Games for Ex-Trojan Jones

Amid the smiles and all-star atmosphere at the Olympic Festival basketball tournament is a tall scowl.

At 6 feet 11, it’s hard to hide your feelings.

The Olympic Festival is not fun for Avondre Jones.

It’s necessary.

In a very real sense, Jones is looking for a job. Right now he is playing for the West squad at the Olympic Festival.

When the basketball portion of the Festival ends Tuesday, he becomes a player without a team and a student without a school.

As one of the most highly sought high school players in the country last year, he chose to play for USC, where he says Coach George Raveling promised him significant playing time.

But his time didn’t come.

He averaged only 3.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 13 minutes per game.

Keeping up with the Joneses might be hard, but keeping up with Jones’ high school expectations was something else altogether.

Jones said he was hurt by people saying he didn’t play well. To him, it was more that he just didn’t play.

So he decided to leave USC in May to play elsewhere.

“I wasn’t really improving,” Jones said. “It wasn’t bad feelings at all, I just felt I had to move on. I needed time (in the games) to produce so I have to move on to where I can.”

In two games for the West team at the Festival, Jones has played 18 minutes each game, scoring eight points on Saturday and four points in Sunday’s 103-79 loss to the South.

But he is on a team with many shooters, including Long Beach State’s James Cotton and California’s Jelani Gardner.

“As a center, or post, I’ve just got to be patient--this is like an all- star team and I’m not going to see the ball as much,” Jones said. “I try to focus on defense and rebounding and the other things.”

He knows there are scouts in the stands.

While other players are taking every opportunity for a flashy dunk or a between-the-legs pass, Jones is working hard at shutting down his man and boxing out for rebounds.

He has narrowed his choices to Missouri, Iowa and Louisville. There might be a problem with Missouri since there are no scholarships available at this time. Missouri Coach Norm Stewart did not want to speak about the matter.

Jones’ Olympic Festival Coach is Tom Asbury, who left Pepperdine for Kansas State after last season.

“He needs to gain strength and size and he’ll be real good. He’s a hard worker, a good practice player and has a good attitude,” Asbury said. He added with a laugh: “We need big guys at K-State, I should be using this opportunity to recruit him. But really, I wouldn’t do that.

“I told him that I knew about it (leaving USC) but that it wasn’t any of my business. I haven’t talked to George (Raveling).”

Jones said he would like to decide where to transfer by August.

Notes

Alexandra Carter of Pasadena won a the gold medal for shooting in the 25-meter sport pistol division. Carter scored 688 points. . . . In the second round of men’s tennis, Jakub Peitrowski of Huntington Beach and the West team defeated the North’s Adam Neal, 6-2, 6-1.