In the end, it didn’t matter that Mike Jones failed to earn a qualifying score on the SATs. He’s still coming to Syracuse.

But for a while, Jones’ chances of attending SU and playing on the men’s basketball team during the 2006-07 season were slim.

‘We were all just scared to death,’ said Chip Atkins, Jones’ coach at Lower Richland (S.C.) High School. ‘We wanted it so badly for him. We put all of the mechanisms in place for him to succeed.

‘Mike always assured me he was confident he would make it to Syracuse.’

And the forward was true to his word.

After Jones learned the combination of his best math and verbal scores on the SATs were still not enough to meet qualification standards, he received the results of his final ACT exam, taken on June 10, in the mail in later that month. He passed.

SATs, ACTs, what’s the difference? Who’s counting anyways? Certainly Atkins isn’t.

‘The bottom line is Mike had to do the work,’ Atkins said. ‘I was tickled to death he did it.’

The Daily Orange first reported in April that Jones was 100 points shy of the necessary qualifying score on the SATs. At that time, Jones was awaiting his scores from the April 1 exam. Unable to earn a good enough score in April, Jones ended up taking the test one more time during his senior year on June 3.

If he failed to gain the necessary scores to enroll at SU, the plan was for Jones to attend prep school at Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy for a year. If all went right at prep school, Jones’ scholarship at SU would have been honored starting in the 2007-08 season.

But after qualifying, Jones enrolled in SU’s second summer session and took two classes.

Following the Jordan Classic at Madison Square Garden in April, where Jones played alongside current teammate Paul Harris and some of the top freshmen in the country, Atkins said Jones became lackadaisical at school.

‘He came back and let his class work go,’ Atkins said. ‘I guess he thought he played real well.’

Well, yeah, he did.

Jones scored 16 points off the bench on 6-of-8 shooting from the field in only 16 minutes on the court. Harris equaled him with 16 points, but on 7-of-15 from the field.

What impressed Atkins more than Jones’ on-the-court skills was how he handled the nitty-gritty of the school year.

‘The average kid going to college doesn’t normally have to deal with this,’ Atkins said. ‘I thought he handled the pressure extremely well.’

Atkins thinks Jones and the Orange benefit greatly from Jones’ ability to qualify and suit up for SU as a freshman this season – even if his playing time may be sparse.

‘With the seniors in font of him, he can fit in and learn the system right away,’ Atkins said.

Jones figures to slide in behind the returning starter at small forward, senior Demetris Nichols. With the entire frontcourt graduating after this season and five freshmen coming in 2007-08, the year of experience could be crucial for Jones – and perhaps go a long way in determining whether he starts at the beginning of next season or not.

But Atkins sees things a little differently.

‘Being a coach, I would not rule out he’s not going to play a lot this year,’ Atkins said. ‘He’s a good player. Injuries happen. Syracuse is lucky to have him this year. He’s ready to step in and play right away if needed.

‘I’m telling you, those seniors better be pretty good.’

Numbers Game

Jones will wear No. 5, which was the property of walk-on guard Jake Presutti last season, according to the SU Athletics Web site. Atkins said Jones wore No. 55 at Lower Richland. Harris is listed as No. 11, also worn last season by a walk-on, Todd Burach. The third incoming freshman, Devin Brennan-McBride, will don No. 25.

The most famous former No. 11 at SU is Leo Rautins, but four-year starting guard Adrian Autry (1990-94) wore it his freshman year and current assistant coach Mike Hopkins also wore it during his freshman season in 1989-90.

Non-conference opponents

SU will not leave the state of New York during its out-of-conference portion of the schedule. The only true road game is at Canisius on Nov. 25 at HSBC Arena in Buffalo.

The most prominent opponent on the early-season slate is a date with Oklahoma State at Madison Square Garden for the annual Jimmy V Classic on Dec. 5. The Cowboys finished 17-16 and lost in the first round of the NIT against Miami (Fla.). It will be Sean Sutton’s first full year as head coach after his father, Eddie, retired in May.

Mid-major power Wichita State will make a trip to the Carrier Dome, much like Bucknell did in 2005. The Orange hope this year’s mid-major match-up goes a little differently than the 74-69 loss to the Bison.

SU will not participate in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic for the first time in two seasons. Instead, it will host the Black Coaches Invitational during the second weekend in November. Penn, Texas El-Paso and St. Francis (N.Y.) will each play Syracuse. There will be a double-header each day to ensure all four teams play one another.

Published on August 29, 2006 at 12:00 pm