From the suburban Dallas city of DeSoto, there hails one of the best shooters in high school basketball, 6'4" Matt Jones. During the recent Nike EYBL fifteen game season, the polite marksman finished fourth in overall scoring, while averaging 18.2 points per game. Jones, a rising junior, has formed one of the best inside-outside tandems on the AAU circuit with the heralded forward Julius Randle for the Texas Titans, a Dallas-area AAU program which strives to fuse basketball and spiritual training.

At the LeBron James Skills Academy, Matt spoke with Blue Devil Nation about a myriad of topics, including his close friend Randle, Duke's recent interest in the shooting guard, and Jones' shooting prowess.

How's your recruiting going lately?

Oh, recruiting's fun. Just getting all kinds of calls from all kinds of area codes. It's just fun. The coaches have been great. I just like hearing about the history and tradition of each one.

So, it's exciting for you?

Yes, sir.

In terms of interest and offers, where are you receiving them from, respectively?

I have a lot of offers like [private] from Memphis, Kansas, Baylor…teams like that. I've gotten interest from a lot more, but, in the end, I just want to go somewhere that fits my game and makes me more of a complete player.

Well, for the audience that hasn't seen you play yet, how would you describe your game right now? What do you feel are your strengths and weaknesses?

Sure, my strengths are my shooting and playing defense. My weaknesses are probably ball-handling a little bit and also being more vocal.

In terms of shooting, do you feel you're better off of the catch or off of the dribble?

(laughs) Well, I can do both, but..

Alright, what do you prefer?

I prefer to just catch and shoot.

So, five seconds left, you'd rather have someone penetrate and kick it to you on the wing.

Yes, sir, definitely.

Your partner, Julius Randle, compared your game to Ray Allen's. He basically said you may not be quite at that level of shooting, but you had more of diverse offensive game than you were given credit for. Is he on the right track and is Allen a player that you try to model your game after?

Yeah, well, I like to compare my game to him and just get there and shoot like him.

You were mentioning defense before, how would you assess your defense right now?

My defense is pretty good, but it could get better..

You know that sometimes high-level shooters have a reputation for not necessarily being the toughest defenders.

(laughs) Yes, I know, but, like on my high school team, it's made me a better defender because, if you don't play defense, you won't play. My coach is very strict about that and we've all gotten better.

Why don't you tell the audience how you did this past season at DeSoto?

Oh, man, we were one game away from winning the state. It was tough to take.

Well, next year, you should be strong again.

Yes, sir, we should. We bring back a lot of seniors and I'll try my best again, sir. We should be strong.

Attending this event and others similar to this, what do you take out of it? This is your first big one, right?

Oh, yes, sir. It is. By playing against these other guys, I've learned that I've got to be more vocal and keep working on my ball-handling. I've got to make those my priorities and keep working on my shot too. I need to be more of a leader than I have been too and just getting guys where they're supposed to be. Yes, sir.

Then, it's been a valuable use of your time.

Yes, sir.

I hate to touch on Randle again, but you two are inseparable at all of these camps and tournaments. What's it been like playing alongside him and enjoying the spacing that he's provided? You guys have formed one of the best inside-outside tandems around.

(laughs) Absolutely, it's been good and fun, sir. He just demands so much attention that it helps me.

You guys have a nice rhythm.

Yes, sir. We've been playing together since, like fifth grade. He just demands so much attention that when they have to, like, double team him, it just makes my job more easier to shoot it. It's just pure catch-and-shoot. Yes, sir.

They say that you're a good student. Does it come relatively easy to you or do you have to work at it? Is it true first of all?

(laughs) It is true and I do work at it. My parents just keep me on my toes. They're always on me and, if they're ever slipping, they both always are just cracking down on me. You never have to worry about that.

That's good to hear. What are your goals for this summer?

My goals for this summer are, well, first to win the Peach Jam, just do really good and help my team to succeed.

Do you feel you have a strong shot at the Peach Jam? I've seen you guys play in Dallas and LA, when you got Julius back.

Yes, sir, I think we do. Me and Julius and just the rest of my team are pretty solid. I mean, on the one hand, we're a young bunch, but you can't count us out and we know how to play. We'll fight.

That's the kind of attitude that I like to hear and, in the end, it becomes about performing in one game at a time at the Peach Jam. In terms of visits, where have you visited recently and what do you have planned?

I've been to Missouri and Baylor and I'm trying to get to Kansas and Florida and then some more.

Are those last two this summer?

Yes, sir, those last two are this summer and then I'd like to take some more visits in the fall, sir. Yes, sir.

Who will you turn to for guidance whenever you do make a decision on a college program?

Sure, sir, my big brother, Antonio, my parents, and probably my AAU coaches.

Do you view yourself as a pure two or can you play other positions?

As a pure two, sir.

Will distance be a factor in your decision?

No, I'll go wherever I feel is best, sir.

You were sort of, well, laughing about it before, but have you and Julius seriously discussed the possibility of going to the same school? Is it sort of a half-serious thing?

Oh, no, we're both pretty serious about it. I mean it's definitely something we've talked about and a few schools are interested in us both. It'd be great to be able to play with him in college. Like you said, we've got a great chemistry out there.

Has Duke expressed interest in you?

Oh, yes, sir. The coaches called. I hope they keep staying interested, sir.

So, if they continue to express interest in you, you'd be interested in them?

Oh, yes, definitely. If they're serious, I'd like to go out there and visit with my family. I feel that they're a program that could be a good fit. They've got great coaches and a great program. It's definitely a program that I'm interested in. I hope they keep recruiting me. Yes, sir.

What do you know about the program and the university?

I know they just got Coach Capel and they've always had great guards and shooters. Obviously, Coach K is a legend. Just a great coach. It's a great school with a winning tradition and history. Great players and everything. Yes, sir.

Can you talk about the rise of Texas basketball on a national scale and how competitive it is on the high school level? How do you account for it?

Well, it's been great to be a part of, sir. We're a huge state with a lot of people and a lot of the young kids are playing basketball. Football is still big, but maybe more people are going into basketball sir. It's been great to see some of the success from all the different parts of the state. In high school, it's definitely tough to win a championship, sir…because you've got to go through all of these talented players and teams.

Who's been the toughest opponent that you've had to defend?

Oh, that's a tough one. I think I'd have to go with BABC or All-Ohio Red. They were the hardest.

I apologize, Matt. That's my fault. I actually mean which individual player was the toughest for you to defend.

Oh, I'm sorry, sir…Probably J.P. Tokoto. He was real tough for me because he's big and athletic.

Are those the type of guys that give you problems, the big and athletic guards?

Oh, yes, sir.

Physically, how are you trying to improve your body?

Oh, I'm trying to get a little stronger, but mostly I want to work on my flexibility. I think I need to keep improving that area. I need to get more flexible.

I know Julius had said that he was trying to work on his flexibility as well. Working with a trainer.

Oh, yes, sir.

You've got the reputation as an excellent shooter. One veteran scout said he thought you were the best in your class and it wasn't even close. How do you continue to strive and fight the temptation to rest on your laurels? Julius before was talking about how you were looking to develop beyond being "just a shooter." How have you tried to balance growing your game, while not losing your bread and butter, your shooting?

Oh, I've got to try to do both and I'm never resting, sir. I know that I've got to keep pushing myself. I've got to improve my shooting off of the dribble. I want it to be as good as when I catch-and-shoot. I want to be comfortable at both, sir. I'm not satisfied. I still push myself hard. Yes, sir.

What would you say is your range? How far out do you feel comfortable shooting the ball?

Oh, yes, sir, I'd say the three-point line. I'm very comfortable out there. I like to shoot it out there.

What are your goals for the next high school year at DeSoto?

I'd like to win the state and keep improving. I think we'll be pretty good and I'm going to keep pushing myself.

Lastly, what would you like the audience to know about you away from the court?

Well, most people wouldn't know, but I actually love to bowl. I'm pretty good at bowling. (laughs)

Are you really? What's like your all-time high score?

Oh, I'm not exactly sure, but I've broken two hundred. I'm not sure exactly what it was.

Oh, wow, I guess you are really good. Well, thank you very much for your time, Matt. It's been really nice to talk with you.

Thanks. [/private]