May 15, 2002

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University men's basketball program signed junior college transfer Levy Jones to a letter of intent, Saluki head coach Bruce Weber announced Wednesday night.

Jones, a 6-foot-11, 245-pound center, will transfer from Minneapolis Community and Technical College and be eligible at SIU next season. He averaged 13.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg and 4.3 bpg last season for the Marauders and shot 59.0 percent from the field and 70.3 percent from the free throw line.

"His offensive skills are very good, and he can score in a variety of ways," Weber said. "He has great hands and a nice shooting touch. He's also a big body, bigger than anyone we currently have on our team."

Just as important as Jones' skills, Weber said, is his attitude.

"He's a good, quality kid with a good attitude," Weber said. "We expect to have a pretty strong team coming back, and we didn't want to sign someone who might hurt the chemistry of our team."

Weber said Jones has been courted this spring by Oklahoma State and Pittsburgh among other schools.

Jones, who graduated from Minneapolis North High School, signed with South Carolina State out of high school. He redshirted his first year at SCS and played sparingly as a redshirt freshman in the 2000-01 season.

Jones blossomed after transferring to MCTC last year, where head coach Jay Pivec specializes in tutoring big men. MCTC finished 27-7 last season and finished third at the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 13 tournament.

"Levy is the most efficient post player I have ever coached," Pivec told the Minneapolis Star Tribune in March. "He could play anywhere in the country."

The signing of Jones completes the Salukis' 2002 recruiting class, which also includes forward Blake Schoen, and guards Ryan Walker, Bryan Turner and Tony Young.