Alvin Jones Glad He Stayed At Georgia Tech

March 12, 2001

ATLANTA (AP) - For a fleeting moment, Paul Hewitt tries to envisionGeorgiaTech reaching the NCAA tournament without Alvin Jones. Then it's back toreality.

"I don't even want to think about that," Hewitt said. "It would haveextremely difficult to be where we are today. Alvin is our focal pointoffensively and defensively."

Last spring, the 6-foot-11 center thought about giving up his senioryear toenter the NBA draft. After three seasons with Bobby Cremins, Jones frettedabout adjusting to a new coach - especially one like Hewitt, who wasbringingin a vastly different system and promised to work his players like they'dneverbeen worked before.

"I was close," Jones said Tuesday. "I was definitely on the fence."

But Jones decided to play one more season for the Yellow Jackets, whofollowed the big man all the way to the their first NCAA tournamentappearancesince 1996.

Eighth-seeded Georgia Tech (17-12) opens Thursday in the West Regionalagainst No. 9 St. Joseph's (25-6), the regular-season champion in theAtlantic10 Conference.

Jones, who made the All-ACC first team, provides a comfort zone at bothendsof the court. He is averaging career highs in points (13.6) and rebounds(10.3), while still finding time to swat away 3.4 shots per game. He is byfarthe leading shot-blocker in Georgia Tech history with 424 in his career.

"He makes it great for us guards because he's so intimidating downlow,"senior Shaun Fein said. "If you do get beat, you know Alvin is backing youupdown low. We're very confident about what he can do at the defensive end."

While Cremins was content to use Jones as a defensive specialist,Hewittknew he would need his center on offense. The new coach ordered extrashootingafter practice and focused on improving Jones' footwork in the low post.

Like the rest of his teammates, Jones had to improve his conditioningtoplay in Hewitt's run-and-gun system. He now takes advantage of hissurprisingathletic ability sprinting up and down the court rather than just campingoutunder each basket.

Hewitt also set out to improve a sometimes-surly attitude and curb atemperthat often boiled over while Georgia Tech was struggling the past threeseasons.

"I've been happier because we've had more success," Jones said. "It'salways fun when you're winning."

Hewitt didn't beg Jones to stay in school, but did tell him it would beachance to improve his all-around skills and make himself more attractive toNBAteams.

"I knew I had a coach who would work me real hard," Jones said. "I feltlike that was all I needed, a coach who would work me hard and point outthingsto me.I knew by staying I would only get better."

Though Jones is capable of frustrating offensive slumps, he still shot48percent from the field compared to 44 percent last season. His improvedpassingallowed him to cope better with double teaming.

On Thursday, the Yellow Jackets need Jones to be the kind of dominatingforce that he was against Virginia in the quarterfinals of the ACCtournament.He had 20 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks in a victory that clinched anNCAAbid.

"I think they're going to have trouble guarding Alvin down low," Feinsaid. "If we're knocking down our shots from the outside, we're going to beatough team to beat."

These days, Jones has no regrets about making the NBA wait.

"This has definitely helped me, and I think I've helped Georgia Techandcoach Hewitt," he said. "Maybe they would have done it without me, but it'sbeen great to be a part of this. I'm happy I made the decision to stay."