Top 2012 prospect gets first offer

By Joe Henricksen

There may not be a clear No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2012, a class loaded with an abundance of talented guards, but Orr standout Curtis “C.J.” Jones is certainly right at the top among the top two or three players. The standout sophomore-to-be picked up his first scholarship offer this week as DePaul was the first to step up. The offer to Jones is just another example of the aggressiveness and higher profile DePaul is trying to establish with a new, invigorated staff in place.

Of all the top guard prospects in the Class of 2012, Jones is without question the most prolific scorer in the bunch. Jones is crafty with a nice repertoire of moves offensively that he mixes up, making him difficult to contain on the perimeter and in transition. He can score in bunches, with a developed mid-range game and a knack for getting to the rim and finishing. Plus, he has a toughness and swagger about him that you love from a 6-0 sophomore. Illinois and Xavier are two other schools that have showed quite a bit of interest in the talented guard.

Jones, together with promising 6-5 junior Mycheal Henry, is poised to help put Orr on the Public League map this winter after a solid summer. Jones and Proviso East’s Keith Carter are at the top of the Hoops Report’s Class of 2012 player rankings, with a bevy of other talented guards, including Simeon’s Jelani Neely, Mt. Carmel’s Malcolm Hill-Bey, Peoria Manual’s Bobo Drummond, North Chicago’s Aaron Simpson and several others, among the top 10.