Byron Jones - Basketball (M) Coach - Troy University Athletics

Byron Jones

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
Jonesb@Troy.edu
Phone:
3645

Byron Jones begins his third season as an assistant coach at Troy in the 2022-23 season, where he primarily works with Troy's guards and wings.

Jones has been instrumental in developing Troy's guards, including the aid of Duke Miles in his late-season breakout in 2020-21. Miles scored in double figures in eight of Troy's final 10 games and was the only Sun Belt freshman to rank inside the top 15 in assists. Additionally, he coached Duke Deen, who was named the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year.

Jones helped lead the Trojans to a 20-12 overall record and a 10-6 mark in the Sun Belt Conference during a 2021-22 season in which the Trojans returned to the postseason for the first time since its 2016 NCAA Tournament run with an appearance in the College Basketball Invitational. Troy finished with the third-most Sun Belt wins (10-6) and advanced to the Sun Belt Tournament semifinals despite being picked to finish last in the league during the preseason.

The 20-win season was just Troy's fourth since 2000, and the Trojans won eight road games, the most by the program since the 2009-10 season. Additionally, two Trojans hit the professional circuit following their careers under Cross' guidance this past summer as his first class of recruits for Troy in Khalyl Waters and Nick Stampley both signed professional contracts to play in Finland in the Korisliigaleague.

Prior to Troy, Jones spent two seasons at Air Force and helped lead the Falcons to back-to-back Mountain West Quarterfinals appearances for the first time in program history. In his two seasons (2018-20), Jones mentored forward Lavelle Scottie, who earned All-Mountain West honors in both seasons and left as the program's fourth-leading scorer.

Jones spent seven seasons at Fresno State before his run at Air Force, including time as the program's recruiting coordinator. The Bulldogs won 126 games during his tenure, and he played vital roles in the recruiting of Paul Watson (NBA, Toronto Raptors), Marvelle Harris (2015-16 Mountain West Preseason and Postseason Player of the Year) and Tyler Johnson (NBA, Brooklyn Nets) to Fresno.

In 2015-16, Jones was a part of a historic season that saw Fresno State win 25 games, the Mountain West Conference Tournament and advance to the program's first NCAA Tournament since 2001. His final five years were peak in consistency as the Bulldogs made the postseason three times in his last five seasons and won at least 20 games four times.

In 2010-11, Jones had a brief stint at Winston-Salem, where he was an assistant coach. That year, the Rams won a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Southern Division title and earned a berth in the 2011 Division II NCAA Tournament.

Jones was an assistant at UNC Wilmington for five seasons, including the 2003 and 2006 teams that won CAA postseason titles and played in the NCAA Tournament. With the Seahawks, Jones amassed an 83-40 overall recorded and a 61-22 mark in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play while developing four All-CAA honorees that include 2002-03 CAA Preseason and Regular Season Player of the Year Brett Blizzard – responsible for bringing T.J. Carter to UNCW, who was a First-Team All-CAA selection.

Jones helped Denver transition from Division II status to the Sun Belt Conference and Division I. From 1997-02, Jones was known as one of the best recruiters in the Sun Belt and helped sign 1998 Oklahoma Player of the Year Wahhab Carter in 1998.

He began his coaching career at Eastern Kentucky, where he spent three seasons (1995-97). As a head recruiter, Jones brought in Ohio Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year Daniel Sutton and former Mr. Kentucky Basketball runner-up David Evans.

Jones served as a graduate assistant at the University of Central Oklahoma from 1993-95 while he pressured his master's in physical education. During his time at UCO, the Bronchos led the country in scoring in 1994-95 and finished in the top 20 nationally in both seasons. In addition, Jones helped the Broncos win the Lone Star Conference (LSC) Northern Division and the LSC Tournament in 1995, earning UCO an automatic bid into the 1995 NCAA Division II Tournament.

A native of Oklahoma City, Okla., Jones competed on the hardwood with both Northern Oklahoma College and Eastern Kentucky. With EKU, Jones was a member of the 1989-90 team that advanced to the OVC Championship Game. Then, with Northern Oklahoma, Jones led the team to a 24-8 overall record in 1987-88 and a Bi-State West Conference title while being named First-Team All-Conference selection and Defensive Player of the Year. He earned his bachelor's degree in sports and recreation management from Central Oklahoma in 1993.

In high school, Jones was named Oklahoma City Player of the Year and was a first team all-state selection as a standout at Ulysses S. Grant High School. He was also a member of the 1986 Oklahoma Rams Junior Olympics team that won a national title.

Jones and his wife, Sulpicia Caro-Ethen, have three children, Antigone, Tannah and Bryton.