Trinity Lutheran’s Aden Jones has enjoyed playing basketball for as long as he can remember.
“I’ve always been a fan of basketball since I was little, and my sister (Brandy) really introduced me to it. I used to always play with her and my dad,” Jones said.
He played four years of basketball at Immanuel Lutheran School before enrolling at Trinity.
Jones played junior varsity his freshman and sophomore years. He then split his time between JV and varsity last winter, and is now a varsity starter at power forward.
“I can really play wherever (coach Brian Stuckwisch) needs me to,” Jones said. “I like to drive mostly, so I like to play more out on the wing. I’d say that’s my strong suit, and posting up. I’d say the left side is my favorite just so I get to drive the middle with my right hand.”
His high-point games have been 12 against Hauser and Christel House.
“I like playing against zone (defense),” Jones said. That’s our whole team’s favorite. I get more open shots, and we also do really well going through baseline with A.J. (Goecker) and breaking down the defense. We like to get out and run as much as we can.”
The senior enjoys battling for rebounds, and said the Cougars play both zone and man on defense.
“It goes back to who we play and what goes best with their offense,” Jones said. “I usually guard their biggest guy. I like being one-on-one with that guy because I just front him and we have another guy behind me that usually helps me out with a bigger guy, like the other night with Shawe, the 6-4 guy, we had Jack (Marksberry) come over and help.”
He said the Cougars need also to work harder on defense.
“We really need to focus more on moving on defense, and sticking on our own guy rather than having other people help us, and focus more on rebounds and talk more on defense,” Jones said. “Practice is very important. I think how we practice one night could defer how hard we play the next night because how you practice is usually how you play.”
Jones played baseball his freshman year, and after sitting out sports his sophomore year he ran track last spring where he was a sprinter and high jumper.
His favorite event is high jump.
“I like that you get to talk to the other jumpers and get to know them,” Jones said. “The form is the most important thing. You really have to practice your run up and find out how many steps you need to jump at the right time.
“In the 100, the start is really important. If you don’t get a good start you probably won’t do very well.”
Jones has enjoyed being a student at TLHS.
“I could get a Christian education here, and my cousin (Dylan Baker) went here so I decided to go here too,” Jones said. “We’ve been together pretty much since we were born.
“It’s been a lot of fun. You build close bonds with your teammates and the students here. It’s nice. I feel I’m getting a very good education. You get a chance to go one-one-one with your teachers.”
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Name: Aden Jones
High school: Trinity Lutheran
Parents: Sonya and Greg Jones
Siblings: Bethany, Brandy, Brooke, Ava
Sports: basketball 4 years, track 4 years
Organizations: student ambassador, church youth group
Plans after high school: attend Ivy Tech
Favorite food: steak
Favorite musician: Eden
Favorite team: Indiana University
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