Auburn point guard Denver Jones was named the SEC player of the week by the league office following his performances in the Tigers’ back-to-back road wins against Vanderbilt and formerly No. 2 Alabama.
“You know, ‘how do you stay in front of Mark Sears?’ Hardly anybody can. Denver Jones did, and nobody talked about it. He doesn't have enough blocked shots, or he doesn't have enough steals. He's one of the best defensive players in college basketball. He needs to be on the Naismith All-Defensive team,” Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said after the Tigers’ win in Tuscaloosa, AL on Saturday evening.
Jones, playing 28 minutes-or-more, had 15+ points in both of Auburn’s road wins last week. The senior recorded a season-high 21 points at Vanderbilt, shooting 7-for-10 from the field and 5-for-7 from deep.
The New Market, AL native’s five made shots from beyond the arc tied his season-high he set against Georgia State back in December.
Inside of Coleman Coliseum, Jones, who only recorded three points in the first half, shooting 1-for-3, knocked down a trio of second half 3-pointers to propel the Tigers to a win. The 6-foot-4 point guard finished Saturday with 16 points, shooting 5-for-9 from the field, and a perfect mark at the charity stripe.
“Honestly, it was just listening to the game plan. Our coaches put a great game plan in — how to guard their actions, especially the hardest actions. Honestly, it was just listening to that and trusting my teammates,” Jones said of his performance on Saturday following the win against the Crimson Tide.
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Patrick is a junior from Auburn, Alabama, double majoring in journalism and marketing. He started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2022.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @patrickabingham
