Even though Thornwood finished off the regular season with a losing record, junior guard Jordan Jones likes his team.
But with a roster that includes eight juniors and two freshmen, Jones knows he’s really going to like the future.
“The next couple of years, we’ll be something to watch,” Jones said. “Look out for us next year.”
The Thunderbirds are a team to look out for heading into the playoffs, and that showed Friday night in a 58-45 victory over Crete-Monee in a Southland Athletic Conference finale in Crete.
Jones finished with 27 points and shot 13 of 14 on free throws for Thornwood (14-17, 4-8). Freshman guard Lester Watson added 12 points and six rebounds, while freshman guard Mekhi Young had 12 points and three steals.
Jayden Preston led Crete-Monee (18-12, 6-6) with 18 points. Jaylen Blakes picked up a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Robert Kennedy Jr. added 10 points.
Jones, meanwhile, is a transfer from Plainfield North. He came to the South Holland school and found out that not one player, including even himself, had varsity experience.
“He might be new to the program,” Thornwood coach Deoplus Williams said of Jones. “But it’s almost like he has been here for four years.”
Williams confirmed that Jones took to being a team leader right away.
“He’s a hard-nosed kid and does everything for us,” Williams said. “He’s a good kid in the classroom, and he executes everything we throw at him.
“He performs in clutch situations, and we always give him the hardest assignments as well. He always steps up.”
Jones was born into a basketball family, with uncles and cousins who played the sport. His father, Jeremy, played with Eddy Curry at Thornwood for the 2000-01 team that made it to the Class AA state championship game before losing to Schaumburg.
Jeremy also was on DePaul’s roster and played in a few games. Jeremy and Jordan’s other relatives guided him into learning the game.
“I still personally have a lot to learn from them,” Jordan said. “But they have taught me the way I want to play the game and to be free.”
Indeed, the 5-foot-11 guard has offensive skills, featuring a sharp 3-point shot and the ability to drive into traffic for layups. The outside shot is a new wrinkle to his game.
“I picked that up on my own this year,” Jones said. “I take 100 or 200 shots a day.”
Young, who played up on Coolidge’s team in eighth grade that won a Class 4A Illinois Elementary School Association state title in 2023, marveled at what Jones brings to the table for Thornwood.
“He brings scoring, assists, and he’s an automatic leader,” Young said of Jones. “He’s one of the main pieces to this team, and I appreciate him for that. I look up to him.”
The 12th-seeded Thunderbirds will get their first test of the postseason at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday when they face fifth-seeded Joliet West in the Class 4A Joliet Central Regional semifinals.
Win or lose, Williams has declared this season a success.
“They are trusting the system and that’s important,” Williams said. “They gained a lot of experience this year. We stayed on growth and development.
“We weren’t worried about wins and losses. We wanted to make sure they got experience, so we never harped on wins and losses. They built relationships, and now, they are playing as a brotherhood.”
Although Jones is itching to pull off an upset or two in the playoffs, he still likes what he has seen during the regular season.
“For us to go out with no varsity experience and still have a decent record, I love it,” he said.
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
