Jones hoping to find a fit

For Illinois point guard, Verdell Jones it is all about the situations. The 6-foot-4, 165-pound prospect from Champaign (Ill.) Central High School is about to embark on his visits and he's looking for the right fit along the way.

It is that time of year for most prospects to set up official visits to their top schools and narrow down their respective lists. Jones is no different. He is hoping to dive a little deeper into his recruitment in the near future.

"Me and my dad and mom will sit down in the next couple of weeks and start narrowing it down. We have quite a few schools to consider," Jones said. "Colleges are calling and asking if we'd visit for officials. I'll probably take officials to the further away schools and unofficials to the schools that are closer to me. I'll probably make seven visits total."

Jones said Virginia, Kansas, Kentucky, Gonzaga, Oregon, Tennessee and Marquette have invited him to come out for a visit. Nearly all of the schools have offered scholarships, Jones said.

Gonzaga, Oregon, Kansas and Georgia Tech "have said that if I come out for a visit, then they will offer. I think they wanted to really gauge my interest."

Jones has already unofficially visited Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois and Kansas. He said he is looking forward to seeing some more schools this fall to help figure out his list even further.

"I think they are pretty important because I haven't really sat down and talked to the coaches yet," Jones said. "The visits are pretty important because now it's a matter of finding out what school best fits me now.

"If I feel like it is the right situation that I'm feeling right then and there, then I can see myself committing early. I'll probably take most of my visits before basketball starts. It all depends on the situation."

For the moment, the right situation has yet to rear it's head.

"I'm sure once I take these visits, then I'll know what school stands out more than the other. Right now, I really like all of them," Jones said.

For starters, he will take a look at the personnel at his position. Jones hopes to fit a place where he can learn from his potential upperclassmen teammates.

"I wouldn't mind going to a situation where they have a lot of guards, whether they are juniors or seniors so I can play behind them and learn from them," Jones said. "I have no problem with that. That could be a good situation so I can learn how to adapt my style to their style."