http://www.eldoradotimes.com/articles/2007/03/02/sports/sports1.txtHerbert Jones gave Butler basketball fans something to cheer about during his two-year Grizzly career from 1988 to 1990.
On Saturday, fans saluted him again, this time with a standing ovation as Jones' #44 jersey was officially retired - making him the first Grizzly to receive the honor.
“It was an honor to play at Butler and I'm very fortunate to get my jersey retired,” said Jones, who was the 1990 NJCAA Player of the Year. “You never think about that when you're playing basketball. You're just out there playing.”
Jones, along with boosters Phil Johnson and Dr. Larry Abraham, were inducted into the Butler Athletic Hall of Fame Saturday night.
His journey to Butler began in Atlanta, Ga., where Butler head coach Randy Smithson saw him at an AAU tournament.
“(Smithson) wanted me to come out here on a recruiting visit,” said Jones. “It was far from home, but that didn't bother me. I thought it was going to be a great fit for me and it turned out to be great.”
During his two years at Butler, Jones was named to the All-American, All-Jayhawk West and All-Region VI teams during both the 1988-89 and 89-90 seasons.
His name still is listed in the Grizzly record books, as Jones holds the single-season record for most points per game (26) and field goals made (359). He also holds Butler's record for most career points (1,732), points per game (26.3), rebounds per game (14.5), field goals made (717) and field goal percentage (66.5 percent).
“I knew my abilities and I knew what I could do,” said Jones. “Whatever Coach asked me to do, that's what I did. I tried to help my teammates get better and just go out and compete.”
Jones was the key component of the 1989-90 Grizzlies' team that defeated Hutchinson to win the Region VI tournament.
Butler, ranked No. 15 in the nation, then lost to fourth-ranked Connors State, Okla., in a play-in game for the right to play in the NJCAA National Tournament.
In that game, Val Barnes scored 34 points for the Grizzlies, but Butler lost 93-92 in front of a packed gym in Warner, Okla.
Connors went on to win the national championship, but the play-in game forced the NJCAA to eliminate the play-in game and allow both the Kansas and Oklahoma champion to qualify for the national tournament.
Following Butler, Jones played for the University of Cincinnati and was a member of the Bearcats' 1992 Final Four team. He then went on to play in the CBA and just finished a seven-year career playing in overseas this past season.
“It was a great experience to go see different parts of the world that some people will never get to see in their lifetime,” said Jones, who played for teams in Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece.
Jones is currently back attending the University of Cincinnati, where he is finishing up his degree in criminal justice.
Saturday marked the first time Jones had returned to El Dorado since 1995, when he helped out with a basketball camp.
“It hasn't changed much,” Jones said of the small Kansas town. “It's small. It's cozy. Everybody knows everybody.
“Every time I walk in (the Power Plant), I look around,” he added. “The gym is still the same. I've got some great memories here.”