Future Southeast Missouri State basketball player enrolls for fall semester

The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball program has added a key player who won't be eligible this season and won't even be allowed to practice with the team.

But the Redhawks eventually will be get a talented big guard-wing type who was coveted by several other mid-major programs and had signed previously with one.

Anthony Jones, a 6-foot-4, 200-pounder who played the past two years in junior college, has enrolled at Southeast for the fall semester, which began Monday.

Because Jones did not graduate from his junior college, he has to pay his own way at Southeast this year and cannot practice with the Redhawks until he meets his one-year residency requirement to become eligible to play basketball.

Southeast coach Dickey Nutt has not yet been cleared by the university to comment about Jones.

Jones is a native of Memphis, Tenn. He is friends with the three Memphis products on Southeast's roster: Tyler Stone, Nino Johnson and Telvin Wilkerson.

Jones averaged 12 points, three rebounds and two steals at perennial juco power Paris, Texas, last season. He shot 44 percent from the field, including 35 percent on 3-pointers.

Jones averaged 15 points, five rebounds and five assists as a freshman at Holmes College in Mississippi.

Jones signed with Idaho during the 2010 early signing period in November following his freshman season at Holmes. He later was released from his letter of intent.

"Anthony can play multiple positions in the backcourt," Idaho coach Don Verlin said in a release at the time. "He can shoot it, drive it, rebound and defends his position well."

Jones reportedly also had been offered scholarships by Murray State, Troy, Arkansas State and North Texas before signing with Idaho.