DETROIT (11/16/2017) -- The deficit was 23 points, the clock was winding down and the Titans were playing for pride, but for one player, there was more on the line then just finishing out the game when the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team opened the season at Virginia Tech on Nov. 10.
It was a moment of excitement for senior
Isaiah Jones as coach called his name and he stood up and walked to the scorer's table. The score was 94-71 with 6:28 to go, but none of that mattered to Jones.
"It was initially a shock to me and I was asking myself, is this really happening, am I really about to break that barrier that I have wanted to break for two years now and touch that basketball court," said Jones.
Jones played at Center High School in California and was selected First Team All-Conference as a senior. He then went to Mt. San Jacinto College from 2013-2015 and was part of a team that won back-to-back Pacific Coast divisional titles. As a sophomore, he was tabbed Second Team All-Pacific Coast after averaging 5.6 points and 5.4 rebounds to go along with his league-leading and school-record 3.0 blocks per game. He set a school record with 11 blocks in a game and became the first person in school history to tally a double-double with blocks and rebounds and would go on to earn the team's Defensive Player of the Year.
It was after his sophomore season when it happened, an event that would change his future.
While playing pick-up basketball, Jones went up for a dunk and when he came down his knee buckled. He just tore his ACL.
"I was just in shock. The first thing that I thought was if I was going to play college basketball and get a scholarship, coaches need to see me play and that was not going to happen for awhile," stated Jones.
He rehabbed during the 2015-16 season going through the scholarship offers that remained. Even with a coaching change, Jones decided he wanted to be a Titan.
Jones arrived in historic Calihan Hall in the summer of 2016 and continued to rehab his knee to get ready for the season and to play for coach Alexander. Before the season started, the team had a community service project and then it happened – again.
While cleaning a school playground, Jones stepped into a ditch and his knee didn't feel right. Little did he know that his 2016-17 season was over as he just reinjured his knee and he would have to go through another long rehab process.
"I have never been the big-headed type of player," said Jones. "I am more of the humble, down to earth guy, but if I were to say they were days that I didn't take it for granted and maybe didn't push hard or go out at as hard as I should have, I would be lying. Going through these injuries and not being able to play and be with my teammates has really fixed my perspective and makes me appreciate the opportunity and I now treat every day like it is my last"
And now finally, the long-awaited debut of Jones was here and he made the most of it. He played just three minutes, but 30 seconds into the contest, he was on the stat sheet with a block, something he did as good as anyone in junior college.
"It was a blessing," said Jones. "It was something that I wanted to do for two years. The last college basketball game I played was in February of 2015 and since then, I have been battling injuries."
When his time was up, he also had two rebounds to his credit.
"Isaiah was smiling ear-to-ear when I asked him upon coming out of the game 'How did it feel to be out on the court again'" said head coach
Bacari Alexander '99.
"I got quite a few text messages from former teammates, coaches and my family and they were all saying congratulations for getting back out there," said Jones. "My mom had tears of joy when I talked to her. She really wanted this for me."
The following game against Michigan-Dearborn, he checked in for two minutes and again was productive with a block and two rebounds.
"To grab two rebounds and get a blocked shot (at Virginia Tech) is similar to what I saw in our closed scrimmage at Akron. He is a high motor big that can finish around the basket and gave them some problems with his length altering shots as well. You will see him down the stretch moving forward as we continue to grow his game and make him an integral part of what we are doing moving forward," added coach Alexander.
Who knows how the rest of the season will go. Maybe Jones will not play another game. Maybe another unfortunate injury comes up.
But for now, no one can deny his perseverance and dedication to finally make his Division I debut. It was a long road back, but Jones is now in the express lane.
