Dermon Player says Lamont “Momo” Jones is unlikely to land at St. John’s due to the NCAA rule which would prevent him from enrolling at the school because his former high school coach Moe Hicks is on staff.
“Everybody thought he was going to St. John’s but now he’s not,” Player, the former Seton Hall and St. John’s assistant who is advising Jones on his transfer from Arizona, told SNY.tv exclusively Tuesday.
The only way for Jones to land at St. John’s would be if he spent the upcoming season at a junior college and then enrolled at St. John’s in 2012, but Player said Jones was unlikely to do that because he would have to pay his own way.
“If he really wanted to go to St. John’s, that’s the only way he could go,” Player said of the JUCO option. “And I’m not a betting man but if I was I don’t think a kid would do that.”
Player said he planned to meet later today (Tuesday) with Jones and his mother to discuss their options.
“That still leaves the schools from before, UConn, Seton Hall, Iona, Hofstra and Siena,” Player said. “I’m supposed to be talking to UConn later today.”
UConn coach Jim Calhoun said last week in New York that his team planned to add one more scholarship player, a 10th, before the season.
Player said new Maryland assistant Dalonte Hill had also reached out. The Terps recently lost point guard Sterling Gibbs to Texas.
Jones will have to sit out the upcoming season unless he is granted a waiver from the NCAA and would then have two years of eligibility remaining.
“At the end of the day Lamont’s going to make his own decision,” Player said. “I’m going to give him my expertise being in the business for 10 years and helping kids for 20 years.
“At the end of the day I’m going to make sure he gives everybody an equal and fair shot and be honest and direct with everybody,” Player said.
In other St. John’s-related news, Ryan Harrow’s mother, Fern Matthews, said St. John’s was still on their list, which also includes Kentucky, Louisville, Georgia and Texas.
They didn’t make the St. John’s trip because she had a business meeting in Raleigh, N.C.
FREE THROWS
Former Seton Hall forward Anali Okoloji has landed at George Mason, per his high school coach, Wendell Saunders. He will have three years of eligibility remaining…Former LSU forward Olu Ashaolu has chosen Oregon and will have one year left, per Alex Kline….Kuran Iverson will likely take some visits to North Carolina and other Tobacco Road schools while at the Bob Gibbons event with the Long Island Lightning, per his AAU coach, Andre Harrington…Villanova will travel to France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands from Aug. 7-16 and is slated to play five exhibition games.
