THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 11, 1996 TAG: 9604110456
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
Old Dominion signed a junior college guard Wednesday, and coach Jeff Capel said the Monarchs' final available scholarship will go to walk-on guard/forward Brandon Jones.
Including the two guards ODU signed in November, the Monarchs will have a backcourt-intensive group coming in next season.
Chris Haskin, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard from Pensacola (Fla.) Junior College, had verbally committed to Southern Mississippi before coach M.K. Turk stepped down at the end of the season. Haskin still considered Southern Miss along with Georgia State before choosing ODU.
``I think it will be a good place for me,'' said Haskin, who visited ODU recently and will play in the Hampton Roads Pro-Am this summer. ``I see an opportunity to play right away. I want to be somewhere I could win and make an impact.''
Haskin averaged 17.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and shot 38 percent from 3-point range last season.
``His main thing is 3-point shooting,'' Pensacola coach Mark Slonaker said. ``He's very strong. He was an OK player in high school basketball. He was kind of overlooked and really blossomed here at Pensacola.''
Haskin actually signed a football scholarship to play quarterback at Jackson State coming out of high school in Gulfport, Miss. But Slonaker said Haskin then decided he wanted to play college basketball.
ODU coaches cannot comment on Haskin until they receive his signed letter of intent.
Capel can talk about Jones, a walk-on who practiced with ODU last season. Jones redshirted and will have four years of eligibility, although in January Capel considered using him and then thought better of burning his year of eligibility.
``I don't think there's any question he's the best athlete in our program,'' Capel said. ``He's one of the hardest-working kids I've ever been around. He earned a scholarship, it's not like it's charity.
``He's an unbelievable finisher. We don't have anybody on our team who can finish like Brandon. Every time he goes to the basket it's a potential for a highlight film.''
Capel said the Monarchs are going to increase their defensive pressure next year, and the 6-4 Jones will figure heavily into that plan.
``He's going to play, no question,'' Capel said. ``He'll have a chance to flourish in our scheme defensively next year.''
Jones, however, has not played in an organized game in two years. He graduated from Denbigh High School in Newport News, but was not able to play there because he attended four years of high school in Georgia. He moved with his parents to Newport News when his father, a colonel in the army, was named commander of the hospital at Fort Eustis.
``The weak part of my game is my jump shot,'' Jones said. ``That's something I've been working on. I'm more of a slasher type player.''
ODU signed two guards in November who can play either point or shooting guard. Freddie Bryant, 6-3, averaged 27 points, five rebounds and four assists for Live Oak High School in Watson, La. Michael Williams, 6-1, averaged 20.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists for Thomas County Central High in Thomasville, Ga. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Brandon Jones, who redshirted last season, is ODU's best athlete,
coach Jeff Capel says.
by CNB