Thursday, November 26, 2009

Rockford files

Former UMaine player and assistant coach and Maine Central Institute coach Ed Jones is entering his first year as head coach at Guilford High School in Rockford, Ill.

Rockford Guilford is where Jones starred before coming to the Black Bears.

Jones was a superb rebounder and shot blocker and was part of some very good UMaine teams as a player and coach. Jones always liked to talk basketball. I particularly remember discussing Rockford's 50-year team that was selected by the Rockford newspaper some years ago. He took some good-natured ribbing for not being named to the team.

A word of note: Players named to an all-decade, 50-year, or whatever, in Illinois are generally guys that went on to play major college hoops and/or in the NBA.

How many Black Bears fans can say they saw Ed Jones set a NIC-9 Conference record for blocked shots in a game? Visiting family in Illinois one year during the holidays, some of us attended a local high school basketball game and, in the contest, Jones swatted away something like 10 or 12 shots against Belvidere.

Little did we know, that some years later, we'd discuss that game over postgame meals in the Dexter Lounge at Alfond Arena.

Good luck and best wishes Ed Jones.

1 comment:

MattT said...

Good for Ed. He was one of my favorites back in the day. From his freshman year when he was the last line of defense on the "Bum Rush", until his senior year when he really blossomed and had that go to baby hook shot. Never knew him on a personal level, but admired his hard work and determination.