PORTLAND, Ore - Four years without competitive basketball were like hell on Earth for
Earl Jones.
"I thought life was over," he says. "I was lost."
Now Jones, a former Mt. Hood Community College star, is back in uniform, playing for nationally ranked Warner Pacific College and enjoying the student-athlete ride again.
"I don't know where my life would be without this second chance," says the 5-8, 170-pound guard from Henderson, Nev.
Jones, a Warner Pacific junior, has a hard time explaining why he left the college game after earning all-league honors at Mt. Hood in 2009 and 2010.
He left Mt. Hood before graduating, because of "personal issues that I needed to address." He also says it boiled down to life choices and taking more responsibility for his actions. "I was immature and made a lot of mistakes," he says.
Jones says while he was out of college he struggled a lot with anxiety and depression, while working various jobs in the Las Vegas area.
"Those were the worst times of my life," he says. "I was so depressed and missed being in college and playing the game I loved so much. I really messed things up. ... "
Jones says he started to feel numb most days, but never gave up hope. He also continued to push himself in the gym and worked on his mental toughness.
He also grew a special relationship with his other love — his daughter, Jaelynn, now 5.
Jones' dream of playing professionally someday and providing for his family was fading, until he reached out to a friend,
Steffen Harvey, who is in his third year as an assistant coach at Warner Pacific.
"Me and Earl have become pretty close over the last few years," Harvey says, noting that the two have spent "lots of hours going at each other one-on-one" and in open gym games,
Thanks in part to Harvey, Jones was able to land a spot on the Warner Pacific roster.
"I was ready to go play at Portland State after Mt. Hood, but things just didn't work out," Jones says. "I'm just thankful to be playing again. I was running out of options and reaching out to different coaches.
"But I had a coach and people who believed in me at Warner."
Jones, 24, sat out the first term this school year at Warner Pacific to focus on his grades and get caught up. He had to wait to get on the basketball court for the Knights.
"It was hard, but it was something I agreed on," he says. "I was working out with the team and practicing, just couldn't play in the games. It was real tough to just watch."
Since his WPC debut on Dec. 19, though, things have worked out nicely for Jones and the Knights. Going into Wednesday night's Cascade Collegiate Conference first-round playoff game at home against Corban, he was averaging 15.9 points per game, just behind
Doug Thomas' 16.1. Jones had scored between 9 and 27 points in all 17 of his games, and was averaging 31.3 minute per game, also second-most on the squad.
Jones finished the NAIA Division 2 regular season at 51.6 percent from the field and a team-high 44.2 percent on 3-pointers (34 of 77).
"I compare him to Tim Hardaway from his days with the (Golden State) Warriors and (Miami) Heat," Harvey says. "He's impossible to guard one-on-one at this level.
"He's definitely one of the best point guards in the nation. It will be tough for him to get All-American, because he missed the first 12 games, but he's definitely an All-American-caliber player."
Jones' first game was against crosstown rival Concordia. He had 17 points, four rebounds and three assists, with six turnovers.
"I was so anxious, but not really nervous, if that makes sense," he says. "Once I caught that first sweat, I was ready to go."
As for the turnovers, "Man, my legs were heavy," he says. "I just wasn't up to game speed then."
A few weeks ago, Jones was named the conference player of the week after helping the Knights knock off then-No. 3 College of Idaho 81-62 with 17 points, four assists and two steals.
"That was huge," Jones says of the upset.
It also was part of a 7-1 finish for the Knights, who wound up with a 14-4 league record and shared first place with C of I and Concordia.
Jones says he isn't satisfied with his first-year performance at Warner Pacific and wants "more and more" from himself as the team's floor general.
"I'm for sure going to go off for 30 (points)," he says with a laugh. "I just need to get more aggressive (on both ends of the court). Just need to get back to that killer mentality.
"I want teams to be studying me and focusing on me. I don't mean to sound cocky. Not that I'm LeBron James, but I want teams to scout for me. I want to be the very best, and I believe I'm one of the best players (in the NAIA)."
Harvey says Jones came in and rewarded the Knights' coaching staff for their faith in him.
"He's impressed since Day 1 on campus," Harvey says. "He's for sure a steal. The Lord works things out."
Jones looks forward to his next year of eligibility.
"The goal is to finish school with a degree in sports medicine and get a job overseas, hooping," he says. "Hopefully in Europe."
Anxiety and depression are in the past, and he is enjoying living in the moment.
"I truly am happy," he says.