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Hard-working Jones leads Salukis

The thought of never donning a Saluki basketball jersey again still hasn't sunk in for Danette Jones - she has trouble believing it is even her senior year.

In Jones' four years with the women's basketball team, she has gone from being a green freshman to an undisputed leader of the team, a mantle she was more than willing to accept.

When Dana Eikenberg took the reins of a deflated women's basketball program at SIU in April, she immediately noticed the qualities of leadership in Jones, a Salem, Ill., native. Her work ethic, willingness to listen and attitude all impressed Eikenberg immensely.

"If you ask her to get 10 rebounds, she's going to try to get 11," said Eikenberg, the former head coach at Missouri-Kansas City. "You wanna bust your butt for her, and if you don't, you have to question your own passion."

Senior Wendy Goodman, the Salukis' center and Jones' roommate of four years, said Jones is a leader by example, communicating with her teammates and playing smart basketball.

Jones, despite saying she wanted to set an example for her teammates on a daily basis, is modest about the respect she commands from her fellow Salukis and coaching staff. Her passion for the game and work ethic contrast with her mistakes - and Jones said she makes a ton of mistakes.

Her prolific shooting, particularly from beyond the arc, usually obscures whatever mistakes Jones has made. She became only the fifth Saluki in school history to surpass 100 career three-pointers after sinking six against Tennessee Tech Nov. 28.

Jones has drained 104 treys and counting this season, and is currently tied for third on SIU's all-time list. If she can surpass 161 threes, Jones will take the record from Karrie Redeker, who led her own bombing run from 1988-92.

But Jones isn't as much concerned with personal accolades as with helping her team win games.

When confronted with a new head coach in Eikenberg and the five transfers that followed her, Jones was nothing but excited at the possibilities unfolding before her.

Jones will be the first to admit her time with a Division I team has not quite played out the way she had hoped. The Salukis have lost 20 or more games and finished last in the Missouri Valley Conference the past three seasons.

So when Eikenberg took the helm, Jones didn't see an obstacle, but instead saw a chance to help in the rebuilding of the program.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to play for them for a year," Jones said. "And the transfers have really helped me with the transition process and making adjustments."

While the transfers may have helped Jones, Eikenberg was quick to point out the role Jones played in helping her bridge the gap between the Kangaroo transfers, coaches included, and the returning Salukis.

In fact, Eikenberg may be just as regretful as Jones is about her last season as a Saluki. Eikenberg would enjoy coaching Jones a bit longer and has even entertained the idea of keeping her around another year.

"We always tease ourselves, saying we're going to redshirt her," Eikenberg said with a grin. "We understand good things come to an end.

"I want her to understand she's going to be a major cog in the positive direction this program is going. If we ever have the opportunity to get a championship ring, I hope we're going to be able to put them on their fingers as well for helping us do it."

The significance of a rebirth in women's basketball at SIU isn't lost on Jones.

She knows it will take time, and the fruition of her own hard work won't necessarily be reflected in this season's win column.

But Jones said she would be able to look back on the strides the Salukis made toward being a successful program, and know she was a part of it.

Goodman said it was an exciting prospect to end her time with the Salukis and Jones with a new coaching staff. Also like Jones, Goodman is finding it difficult to accept the conclusion looming on the horizon.

"It has not sunk in, it's kinda hard to believe," Goodman said, shaking her head. "But it's exciting, and you just have to look at it like that."

It's still a bit too early to begin getting weepy about the end of Jones and her senior teammates' time at SIU.

Although the Salukis have yet to win a game, Jones is confident they will achieve a victory at some point.

The ultimate goal, Jones said, would be to see SIU represented in the MVC tournament, something she has not experienced in her time here.

"That would be awesome, and I definitely expect that out of us," Jones said. "It's something I want to do before I leave."

Whether or not the Salukis reach the lofty goal of post-season play, Jones will leave the University with more than the knowledge of setting a screen or the intricacies of a triangle offense - she'll have experiences that will apply in the much-feared "real world."

Being able to work with people as a team is one of the most important things she has learned, Jones said. Eikenberg said Jones has a great ability to connect both with coaches and other players.

That ability will come in handy for Jones, an elementary education major. If Jones can make Eikenberg want to be a better coach, she will likely influence the fragile minds of little children - in a positive way, of course.

"She's going to be a great teacher in a couple of years," Eikenberg said. "We want her to have self-confidence and that great ability to be a vocal leader, whether it's in a mass of kindergarteners or her peers, we want her to stand out."