What's up, Gophers fans?
On Friday, Tubby Smith went to St. Louis Park High School to watch Tyus Jones, an eighth-grader at Apple Valley in the class of 2014.
The six-foot, 13-year-old is Apple Valley's starting point guard. He had 11 points, six rebounds and six assists against St. Louis Park.
Smith and Minnesota assistant coach Ron Jirsa attended Jones' first practice last week and the team's director of basketball operations, Joe Esposito, has also visited the school to watch Jones, according to Apple Valley head coach Zach Goring.
"Tubby was there," Goring said. "Tubby was at his first practice last Monday. Tubby, Ron Jirsa. They were looking at him. They're pretty interested. Esposito's been down to our stuff."
A source close to the team also told me Smith "likes him."
Goring said Smith's initial reaction when he saw the point guard last week was shock.
"Now, you're telling me he's in eighth grade?" Smith asked Goring, who said he's had multiple conversations with Gophers coaches about their interest in Jones.
Goring described Jones as a physically and mentally mature youngster who had enough talent to play varsity when he was in seventh grade.
Jones will attend Minnesota's matchup against St. Joe's Saturday, Goring said.
I've talked to Smith about the recruitment of eighth-graders in the past. He's always expressed concerns about the practice but acknowledged the increased pressure to go after middle-schoolers because of the idea that another school will get to a player first.
None of this early attention means Jones will ever get a scholarship offer from Minnesota but it certainly falls in line with the theory in college basketball recruiting that it's never too early.
There's certainly a buzz about Jones. I'm excited to watch him play later this week.
Sounds like he's already on Minnesota's radar.
