All-area boys player of the year: Dwight Jones Jr., Cummings
When your son is Dwight Jones, high school athlete extraordinaire, it's only natural to suspect something is wrong when he comes home from a basketball game having scored only 17 points.
So Deborah Jones asked the question after Cummings' semifinal victory in the Mid-State 2-A Conference tournament.
"We blew the team out, Mom," Dwight said. "Don't worry. Just watch."
She watched him go for 32 points and 15 rebounds in the final, then watched him improve on those stats in the playoffs, where the sinewy 6-foot-5 senior led Cummings to its second straight state title and third in four years.
Area coaches voted Dwight Jones the News & Record's All-Area boys basketball player of the year. That's on top of being named state player of the year by The Associated Press. In the fall, he led the Cummings football team to a state championship, and he will play that sport at North Carolina next season.
Dwight Jones, whose first love growing up in Burlington was basketball, capped the Cavaliers' championship run in basketball with 23 points and 15 rebounds in the final. Never mind that he was guarded by 6-8 shot-blocker Victor Davila of Boonville Starmount. Dwight Jones always has saved his best efforts for the biggest games, and he earned the MVP award for this one.
Even so, Dwight Jones was less than thrilled about his performance because he missed two dunks and too many free throws.
"That was a terrible game overall," he said.
Terrible, huh?
"He did just enough to win the ball game," Cummings coach George Robinson said. "You take away that 23 and 15, and it's a whole 'nother story."
Dwight Jones always has done whatever the Cavaliers have needed him to do to win games.
He idolized Michael Jordan and fancied himself a Kobe Bryant-style player on the playground and on the AAU circuit. But he was a stalwart near the basket -- not on the wing -- for Cummings. Maybe his coaches didn't play to Dwight Jones' strengths by playing him inside, but it's not like they exposed many weaknesses.
Robinson warned him before the final that Davila would block some of his shots.
"I'll be OK," Dwight Jones replied.
After one of his shots was swatted early, Dwight Jones told his coach not to worry. Before long, Dwight Jones took the ball strong to the basket, right into Davila's chest. He scored while being fouled.
Dwight Jones looked over at Robinson. "I told you I got it, coach."
[More at www.news-record.com]
