Jones Monopolized Playoff Final

Dana Jones came to a crossroads Friday night against the Fremont High Pathfinders.

North Hollywood was facing one of the most talented teams in the history of the City Section 3-A Division and was given little chance by observers. Jones, the North Hollywood center, raised his game and, in turn, those of his teammates to a previously uncharted level.

As a result, North Hollywood upset the Pathfinders, 76-71, to win the school’s first City championship in basketball.

Jones, a 6-foot-6 senior, scored 29 points, making eight of 11 field-goal attempts and 13 of 17 free throws. He also blocked seven shots and had five steals and two assists, but the most stunning statistic was 29 rebounds, a career high.

Anybody for superlatives?

“That was one of the most dominant performances I’ve ever seen on the high school level,” Grant Coach Howard Levine said. “No. The most dominant performance I’ve ever seen on that level.

“Remember Bill Walton’s performance in the NCAA finals?” Levine asked. He was referring to Walton’s 44-point performance in UCLA’s 87-66 victory over Memphis State in 1973 when Walton converted 21 of 22 field-goal attempts.

The question, of course, was rhetorical.

Walton’s performance came on a far grander scale, but the context is similar for Jones.

Cal-Hi Sports also lauded Jones, selecting him as the state player of the week.

Jones’ coach, Steve Miller, was clearly caught up in the moment.

“He’s the best player in the City of Los Angeles and one of the best in the state of California,” Miller said immediately after the game. “Absolutely no doubt about it. Period. End of sentence.”

Jones also answered the challenge in the game’s final, frantic moments. With North Hollywood holding a 74-62 lead with 1 minute 17 seconds left, Fremont scored nine consecutive points to cut the lead to three.

North Hollywood then committed a turnover, but Alric Gillett misfired on a jump shot, and Jones soared above a sea of bodies to secure the rebound with 33 seconds left. After a missed free throw, Fremont had the ball again. Another jump shot by Gillett was off the mark, and Jones gathered in the rebound with 25 seconds to play.

Finally, a last Fremont chance. A Lionel Pandy jump shot went up, bounced off the rim and into the air. The familiar, gangly body of Jones went up and with an emphatic oomph , Jones cradled rebound No. 29.

The final seconds had brought out the best in Jones. He had been to the crossroads and he had buried the Pathfinders.