Everyone goes through that awkward stage. It’s unavoidable, unconventional and it usually happens, for most, somewhere between those middle school and high school years.
Auburn women’s basketball players Jazmine and Jessica Jones are nearing the end of their sophomore season as student-athletes on The Plains, but the twins still vividly remember a time long before college basketball — an all but graceful period in their early lives that involved horseback riding and a growth spurt.
The lookalikes from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, started playing basketball in sixth grade after being encouraged by their father, Jeff, who played both collegiately and professionally, but the game of basketball wasn’t their first love. That place in their hearts actually belonged to equestrianism, and that’s where their journey to the SEC began — on top of a saddle.
“We took it pretty seriously,” Jazmine said. “We traveled all over, did competitions and we also used to own a horse named M&M.”
Jeff and DeAnna Jones climbed out of bed every morning to take their daughters on an hourlong car ride from Winston-Salem to Wilkesboro to care for the horses. The time they spent cleaning the stalls taught them the value of hard work and the importance of working together at an early age, values that would serve them well down the road.
“If you wanted to keep the horse, that’s what you had to do,” Jessica said.
Five years later, the Jones twins suddenly found themselves too tall to compete, so once they enrolled at West Forsyth High School, they shifted all of their attention to basketball — completely unaware of the true talent they possessed.
“We didn’t take (basketball) seriously until about our sophomore year,” Jessica said. “Then we started AAU [Amateur Athletic Union], and it kind of exploded for us there. That’s when we got out of our awkward stage and got our first offer.”
By the end of their senior season, both sisters were top-rated recruits. However, they had no intentions of playing at different schools at the next level. They were a package deal.
Jazmine and Jessica didn’t always receive the same scholarship offers, but were committed to finding a program that was the right fit and would allow them to play together. With those standards in mind, they narrowed down their choices and committed to play for coach Terri Williams-Flournoy and the Tigers.
“We really liked coach Flo, and we liked her style of play,” Jazmine said. “The other coaches, coach Walters and coach Ty, we just liked the vision they had for the program and the emphasis they put on defense. On our AAU team we pressed a lot too, and we were just drawn to the Auburn Family. We came with our mom and dad, and they felt that we could really grow up here.”
Jessica considers herself the shy one, and Jazmine, a little more outgoing. That, combined with their distinct playing styles, made it easier for their Auburn teammates and coaches to tell them apart during their first few weeks of practice.
“We have two different personalities,” Jessica said. “The team knows that, and the coaches know obviously I’m more of a forward and (Jazmine’s) more of a guard on the court. We’ll never have our hair the same, and that usually helps, but sometimes people still get us mixed up.”
Through their first two seasons at Auburn, the twins have grown up along with the rest of the roster.
Auburn women’s basketball finished with a 13-18 record in 2014. This year, the Tigers are 19-12 and pushing for their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2009.
Jazmine and Jessica’s stats might not reflect it, but their maturity — both physical and mental — has paid dividends for the Tigers both on and off the court this season.
College basketball has its ups and downs, and the sisters tackle those challenges together every day.
“We know each others strengths and weaknesses,” Jessica said. “If I see (Jazmine) out there on the court, it’s kind of weird because I already know what she’s thinking. If she comes off the bench and she’s mad, I already know why she’s mad and maybe the team doesn’t, so I talk to her. Or if she doesn’t see something I see, I’ll tell her. We help each other.”
Six hours away from home, the twins don’t have a lot of family nearby. But at the end of those long practice days, through both wins and losses, they’re just thankful to have each other.
“We’re always together,” Jazmine said. “If we have a hard practice or something is wrong, we can talk about it because we room together too. It’s just nice having someone there always with you. If [our] family can’t come [to the game], me and Jessica are still together on the court. We play for each other, and I think that’s priceless.”
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