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Tennessee guard commits to SIU

by paul klee
the southern

Tuesday, October 11, 2005 7:01 AM CDT

CARBONDALE - One thing is certain. The Salukis are getting a winner.

Josh Bone, a 6-foot-2 guard at Brentwood Academy in Nashville, Tenn., gave a verbal commitment Monday to play basketball at SIU after he graduates high school in May.

Bone said he informed SIU head coach Chris Lowery of his plans in Nashville on Monday. The senior combo guard said the commitment "felt like I became part of the family."

Bone's current basketball family has been a highly successful one. A three-year starter, Bone has helped Brentwood become the first school to win three straight Division II state championships in Tennessee.

"We work our guys hard," Brentwood coach George Pitts said. "It's my understanding that coach Lowery works his guys hard and they do a lot of trapping and that kind of thing. I think (Bone) will fit in extremely well with that."

Bone made an official visit to SIU last week. He said he will sign a national letter of intent during the November signing period.

SIU still has one scholarship remaining for a class of 2006 signee. But with Bone, it appears the Salukis got what they needed most - a versatile guard to ease the loss of starters Jamaal Tatum and Tony Young in 2007.

Bone was audibly ecstatic at the decision to join SIU and its history of developing quality guards.

"I loved them from Day One," Bone said. "When I got down there, I felt so comfortable with the team. That's a big part of what college is about, I think. I felt comfortable with them."

The Brentwood coach said the 185-pound Bone has played both guard positions in high school. Bone started at point guard as a 5-9, 140-pound freshman and "just had that savvy about him," Pitts said.

A torn ACL limited his sophomore season, but Bone returned as a junior to average about 15 points and four assists.

Brentwood finished 27-3 and became the fifth school to win three straight state titles in the 84-year history of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association. Brentwood also was the first program to win three consecutive state championships since the Division II level was formed in 1997.

Bone pinpointed the Salukis among scholarship offers from Bradley, George Mason, UNC-Wilmington, Arkansas State and Miami (Ohio), he said. The coach at Brentwood described Bone as "a very good all-around player" who "has a real drive to make himself better."

"He can shoot it well. He can take it to the basket. He can pull up and shoot the jumper. So he's very skilled offensively," Pitts said. "Defensively, he's a good defender. We pretty much press all the time. Then we play (man-to-man). So he's had a lot of work in that area."

"I just think he has got a really good upside," the Brentwood coach continued. "I think by the time he's a sophomore at SIU he's really going to be good."

Bone said the "hard-nosed" style he has experienced at Brentwood is similar to what he expects at SIU.

"It's tough, but I'm a basketball player. I love basketball. There's nothing wrong with hard work," Bone said. "I think that's what is making me a great player. I want it to pay off in the long run. That's why I'm going to SIU."

paul.klee@thesouthern.com

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