As
he prepares to enter his ninth season at the helm, Coach
Jeff Jones and his American University Eagles Men's
Basketball program have much to reflect upon from the
2007-08 campaign and high hopes for 2008-09. Despite
building a consistently successful program since his
arrival in 2000, including four appearances in the Patriot
League championship game and three regular season titles,
the Eagles' Patriot League championship and NCAA
tournament appearance last year were timely. Jones
understands the bottom line nature of the business.
“It was a threshold we needed to cross. I felt that we had
been successful prior to last year, but I came to realize
how much emphasis is placed on getting to the dance,”
commented Jones.
Though the Eagles are perennially competitive in the
Patriot League, Jones is aware that on a national level,
the perception may be that AU has just arrived on the
scene due to the tourney appearance against Tennessee.
“When it comes to recruiting, we have to present the
facts—that we have been in four championship games and won
or tied for the regular season title three
times…collectively, that has probably not been
appreciated,” said Jones.
So has recruiting changed much since their first ever NCAA
Division I tourney berth?
“Yes and no,” says Jones. “All along we have recruited
good kids. I talked to Pat Flannery (Bucknell) and Ralph
Willard (Holy Cross) about this. We can now get our foot
in the door with certain kids, but we have to get them. We
have to keep the momentum going.”
Flash back to March 14, 2008. Following the nationally
televised afternoon Patriot League championship game vs.
Colgate, cameras captured a very emotional Jeff Jones on
the sidelines.
“Maybe I was spoiled,” said Jones. “You have to remember,
I was a head coach in the ACC at age 29. We had five NCAA
tournament appearances and an NIT championship in my first
seven years. My perception was that this happens every
year. Maybe I took for granted how hard it is. There were
a lot of years and a lot of near misses. It was also a
year of a lot of unknowns. We did not know what to
expect.”
Have last season’s unknowns become this season’s high
expectations? “Our goal has always been to win the regular
season and to advance to the NCAA tournament. Our goals
haven’t changed, but maybe the expectations have changed,”
said Jones.
Jones was recently rewarded with a contract extension—a
nice lead-in to the 2008-09 campaign. “Concrete examples
of the school’s support are nice. It’s important for the
continued growth of our program that the university has
shown faith and support of me and of our program.
Hopefully there is more to come, not only in men’s
basketball, but in the overall American University
community.”
What do the Eagles do for an encore performance?
“We have a chance to be a really good team. Of course, our
league is very balanced. We’ll take the same steps as last
year, but chemistry should not be an issue—that part
should not take as long. If the off-season was any
indication, our guys are extremely motivated and hungry,”
commented Jones.
Does a season like last year breed greater confidence?
“Our kids certainly seem to have greater confidence. Being
able to survive difficult times does that. The Holy Cross
game came down to the last minute, and the championship
game was a hard fought game. Our kids certainly come out
of those situations with greater confidence,” said Jones.
As if the AU NCAA tournament appearance didn’t provide for
a busy enough off-season for Jeff Jones, he also had the
opportunity to participate in Operation Hardwood for the
first time. Jones and several other current and former
NCAA men’s basketball coaches visited Kuwait and Baghdad,
coaching American soldiers in clinics and tournaments.
“I had met Rick Kell (organizer of Operation Hardwood) a
year ago and told him I would love to participate, and I
was really looking forward to the experience,” Jones said.
“It met and exceeded all of my expectations. I would say
it was a once in a lifetime experience, but I hope to go
again. It actually started right here in Washington with
visits to Bethesda Naval Hospital and Walter Reed. It was
great to meet the soldiers there and the people taking
care of them.”
For now, Jones will be on the hardwood in Bender Arena,
with the same goals as always, to win the Patriot League
regular season and tournament championship, advancing to
the NCAA tournament. There is one difference this season,
however. The Eagles will carry themselves like a team that
has been there before.
Brian Doyle is an Assistant Principal and Associate Head
Coach at Centreville High School in Clifton, Virginia. Prior to
becoming Assistant Principal, Doyle was a high school head coach
for thirteen years. Brian also serves as member of the voting
panel for the prestigious Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year
Award.
As
he prepares to enter his ninth season at the helm, Coach
Jeff Jones and his American University Eagles Men's
Basketball program have much to reflect upon from the
2007-08 campaign and high hopes for 2008-09. Despite
building a consistently successful program since his
arrival in 2000, including four appearances in the Patriot
League championship game and three regular season titles,
the Eagles' Patriot League championship and NCAA
tournament appearance last year were timely. Jones
understands the bottom line nature of the business. 
