Kentrevious Jones, a 6-foot-11, 290-pound big man from Macon (GA) Central and the Atlanta Xpress, committed to Xavier on Sunday, giving head coach Chris Mack a huge frontcourt presence going forward.
Jones also considered UCF, LSU, Oklahoma and Texas Tech.
“I feel like by me going to Xavier my career as a student-athlete will be great,” he said. “We’re also trying to have the best recruiting class and win an NCAA championship.
“They made me feel like family during my visit and Xavier has a lot of resources to help develop a good big man. We’re coming for that championship.”
He joins shooting guards Naji Marshall and Elias Harden and small forward Jarred Ridder in Xavier’s 2017 class.
“I will bring a nice skillset,” Jones said. “I’m a big who can play with my back to the basket and also can take my opponent off the dribble. I rebound well and can rebound outside my area. I have a nice touch and can shoot from mid-range and for three-pointers. I can finish with either hand, have a nice touch from the free throw line and love to bang down low.
“I plan on coming in and working hard and staying on top of my work and most importantly in basketball. I’m going to try to lose more weight and I’m gonna grind hard!”
Said Jones AAU coach Darren Darby of the Atlanta Xpress: “He’s a true middle presence, a throw-back big guy with grit and toughness. He’s a slepper who didn’t play last summer because of a broken foot. He’s lost 20 pounds already.
“He will be a kid people talk about two years from now saying, ‘Where was this kid? How did Mack find him'”
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