Iowa commit Ava Jones — Felt ‘like my dad was with me right this moment’

NICKERSON, Kan. — Simply over 4 months after she was severely injured and her father was killed after being struck by a automobile, Ava Jones signed a nationwide letter of intent for the Iowa girls’s basketball group Wednesday.

Jones, 17, suffered a traumatic mind damage, torn ligaments in each knees and a shoulder damage when an impaired driver hit her and her household on a Louisville sidewalk on July 5, whereas there for an AAU event. Her father, Trey Jones, died a couple of days later and her mom, Amy Jones, suffered a mind damage and 21 damaged bones. Her youthful brother, Creek, escaped severe damage.

The motive force, Michael Hurley, was indicted by a grand jury in August and charged with one depend of homicide, two counts of first-degree assault, one depend of assault within the fourth diploma and one depend of working a motorized vehicle underneath the affect. In response to the police report, Hurley stated he had taken the opioid Hydrocodone earlier than driving.

Jones, a 6-foot-2 ahead who was ranked 83rd by ESPN HoopGurlz for the Class of 2023, initially dedicated to Arizona State however then decommitted in March after coach Charli Turner Thorne retired. Jones reopened her recruiting and introduced her dedication to Iowa on July 3, two days earlier than the crash.

Each Jones and her mom had intensive hospital stays in Louisville. Jones returned to Nickerson Excessive in October for her senior 12 months. In regular circumstances, she would have performed volleyball this fall, and her final season of highschool basketball would begin subsequent week.

She stated Wednesday’s signing has been one thing to stay up for with the difficulties she and her household have confronted.

“It felt actually good to have signed; it truly feels extra actual,” Jones stated. “I need to play basketball once more. Hopefully, I am going to be capable to, however I do not know. However even when I am not capable of, I’ll nonetheless be across the group. I like the Iowa group and the coaches.

“The assist I’ve gotten from everybody has given me much more momentum to get higher. I really feel like my dad was with me right this moment, as a result of this was his dream, too. This was our purpose collectively.”

Jones is ready to stroll, and her speech has drastically improved as she has labored with a therapist. Over the following a number of months, she could have surgical procedure on each knees and on her shoulder.

Amy Jones has undergone a number of surgical procedures and is ready to stroll with the help of a walker.

The Jones’ prolonged household, buddies, teammates, coaches, college students and academics had been on the Nickerson Excessive cafeteria for the signing. Trey Jones had been a instructor and a monitor coach on the faculty.

“The quantity of people that got here out to assist Ava is so particular, as is every little thing the neighborhood has completed for us,” stated Amy Jones, who cannot drive but however has been capable of return to work remotely as assistant superintendent within the Nickerson faculty district. “It is good to see her glad and fulfilling a dream. She’s been there for me, as a result of once I begin getting down, she is going to say, ‘OK, Mother, we will do that. We’re gonna hold going.’ She is simply so decided and pushed.”

Iowa assistant coach Jan Jensen stated that there was no hesitation from the college or head coach Lisa Bluder that Jones’ scholarship could be honored.

“Coach Bluder stated, ‘She’s a Hawk, she’s ours, she’s household. She’s going to be with us,'” Jensen stated by cellphone Wednesday.

“As soon as she is right here, we’ll have her doing each a part of the group stuff that she will be able to presumably do. After we’re studying the offense, she’ll be studying it. We would like her to be included in every little thing.”

Jensen stated that she has been amazed at Jones’ progress

“Ava and I discuss each couple days,” Jensen stated. “As her mind began to heal, it was an excellent factor, but additionally a troublesome factor when she started to totally notice the lack of her father. I knew there could be this large void that Trey wasn’t there right this moment. However in speaking along with her, she knew this second was one thing that they had all been working for.

“I might not wager towards her after what that household’s been by, with that resolve they’ve proven. There have been lumps in our throats right this moment with this signing; we’re past thrilled.”

On Nov. 17, the No. 4 Hawkeyes will play Nov. 17 at Kansas State in Manhattan, which is a few two-hour drive from Nickerson. Jones plans to be there to observe.

“I may quit, however I am actually simply not that kind of individual,” Jones stated. “And my dad was not that approach, both. I do not know every other approach however to maintain going. So perhaps it is simply in my DNA.”