Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Tyus Jones had high praise for his brother, Tre, after watching him lead the Duke Blue Devils to a 69-58 victory over the Texas Tech Red Raiders on Thursday night.
“He’s as good of a defender, especially now at the college level, that I’ve seen,” Tyus Jones told Jeff Goodman of Stadium from his hotel room in San Antonio after watching Thursday's game.
Most college hoops fans have heard about Duke's star trio of Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish, but Tre, a freshman point guard, is often the unsung hero of the team. After all, he is the young man dishing the rock to these top-five prospects.
Tre's defense was a key factor in Duke's victory. Like a thief in the night, the crafty ball handler came away with six steals to go with 13 points, five assists and just one turnover.
“Tre was the key to the game,” Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski told ESPN after the game. “He just turned it around for us with six steals. … It was magnificent to see. He did a hell of a job, as good on the ball as we've had.
“He has the ability to have real-time leadership while the game is going on, and the ability to improvise or make reads,” Krzyzewski added. “Tre gives me the ability to do that. He’s a Godsend for me. … He’s got it.”
Tre has made 12 appearances with the Blue Devils this season, racking up averages of 8.7 points on 45.7 percent shooting from the field (31.8 percent from beyond the arc), 5.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals in 29.5 minutes per outing.
Though he may not be getting the recognition that he deserves, it's clear to see that Tre Jones is an outstanding young prospect.
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