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Eshaunte Jones


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His coach makes it sound like hes ready to step on the court for us.

 

 

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2008/0...2247.txt?orss=1

 

Touted hoops recruit to visit Lincoln

BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star

Thursday, Jun 19, 2008 - 06:15:37 pm CDT

 

There’s some potential good news for the Nebraska men’s basketball team in the aftermath of the Roburt Sallie saga.

 

Eshaunte Jones, a 6-foot-4 wing player from Fort Wayne, Ind., is taking an official visit to Nebraska this weekend.

 

Eric Vaughn, Jones’ AAU coach in Indiana, confirmed the visit, saying Jones was boarding a flight for Lincoln on Thursday afternoon.

 

“He’s excited about it, and if Nebraska gets him, he will be, in my opinion, one of the best players to ever play at Nebraska. He’s one of those players that has ‘it,’ whatever ‘it’ is,” Vaughn said.

 

“He’s a guy that there’s no question in my mind should come to Nebraska and be a first-team freshman All-Big 12 player.”

 

Kentucky, Nebraska and several mid-major schools, Vaughn said, are all in the mix for Jones.

 

“He’ll come to Nebraska, and if he’s not averaging 15 or 20 (points) a game as a freshman, something’s wrong,” said Vaughn, coach of the Blessed IJN team. “And he’ll get anywhere from five to seven assists. He’s a player.”

 

Jones, who played last season at Hargrave Military Academy, a prep school in Virginia, had signed to play with Oregon State. But new Oregon State coach Craig Robinson didn’t contact Jones, according to Vaughn, and Jones was released from his letter of intent.

 

Ironically, Nebraska is scheduled to play at Oregon State this season.

 

Jones, who’d originally committed to Indiana in the fall of 2006, has also had offers from Tennessee, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Georgetown, Missouri and Memphis — the school that nabbed Sallie earlier this week.

 

Sallie, a 6-5 guard, signed with Nebraska, but his brief enrollment in 2006 violated a Big 12 Conference rule; he was ruled ineligible last month.

 

“When Eshaunte comes in there — even though I know Sallie was a great player — (Nebraska fans) won’t be disappointed when they get Bear,” Vaughn said, referring to Jones’ nickname.

 

Vaughn said Jones is still awaiting his final test scores from prep school; Jones must also clear the NCAA academic clearinghouse, “but that won’t be a problem,” Vaughn said.

 

As a high school senior at Fort Wayne North Side, Jones was the state of Indiana’s third-leading scorer, averaging 28 points per game. He shot nearly 42 percent from the field and was a first-team all-state player.

 

“He can really shoot the basketball,” Vaughn said. “When he gets on a run ... people call him a streak shooter. Now, he may go 0-for-6, but he still has a chance of going 6-for-6. I’ll take that kind of streak.

 

“He can really get to any spot on the court, and he can really see the floor. Six-four, long, can defend ... I just can’t see him not flourishing, wherever he goes.”

 

Vaughn said Nebraska assistant coach David Anwar has been responsible for recruiting Jones; Vaughn said he’s known Anwar for five to six years.

 

Jones is among two or three players Nebraska is believed to be pursuing to fill out its 2007-08 roster.

 

Nebraska coach Doc Sadler said he’s planning on putting senior walk-on Paul Velander on full scholarship “if he’s able to work out his class schedule.” If that happens, and if incoming freshman Christopher Niemann is cleared by two NCAA clearinghouses, that would leave the Huskers with one open scholarship, perhaps filled by Jones.

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This is a pretty good get, but he's isn't any near the talent of Salle. I've heard he has some serious grade issues and if he becomes eligible, he will have to work hard in the classroom to stay eligible.

 

On the plus side, he's got great quickness, court vision and can light it up, but Doc's going to have to get him to play within the system and get him playing defense.

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