Highly publicized Apple Valley point guard Tyus Jones will wait at least another three weeks to resume playing. His mother, Debbie Jones, told Sports Headliners that earlier this week her son was informed by a doctor that his lacerated kidney needs additional time to heal.
The Apple Valley ninth grader, among the most talked about prep athletes in the state after a breakout varsity season in 2009-2010, was injured in the Eagles first game of the season on December 7. He was hopeful about receiving clearance to play this week. A busy team schedule includes a game Friday night against Lakeville South and the Eagles play Iowa’s Linn-Mar Lions in the last game of the Timberwolves Shootout on Saturday night at Target Center.
Jones can work on conditioning and shooting during the next few weeks but will avoid contact, according to his mother who said she and her son will look at his abbreviated season as a life lesson. “Definitely ups and downs, unfortunately,” she said. “He was so looking forward to having a great season and now it’s just shortened a little bit. …”
Jones, 14, has received national attention after impressing with his scoring, playmaking and court intelligence not only last season with the Eagles, but in AAU summer basketball. He’s already received a scholarship offer from the University of Iowa.
His mother said her son likes all the Big Ten teams including Minnesota and Michigan State. “I don’t know if one sticks out over the other,” she said.
She also said Tyus knows college prospect Marcus Paige, a highly rated junior guard from Linn-Mar High School (Marion, Iowa). “They played against each other in the summer,” she said. “He was really looking forward to matching up and playing, but it’s just one of those setbacks that you gotta work hard now and come back from.”
At 14 and in ninth grade there would seem to be another Timberwolves Shootout in his future.