Jones leads explosive Blue offense with 22

The understudy now stands in the spotlight.

There were times last season when Michigan guard Leon Jones' pride hurt. He sat on the bench through the program's most dismal season in 17 years, while veterans Louis Bullock and Robbie Reid tried in futility to carry the team, launching one 3-point attempt after another.

Jones didn't get much playing time a year ago, and when he did, he nailed only 29 percent of his shots and less than 20 percent of his 3-pointers.

But one year later - after Bullock's and Reid's departures, and his own surge of confidence - Jones has become one of the key actors in the backcourt. He started at small forward on Friday night in Michigan's season-opening victory against Oakland,

DAVID KATZ/Daily Center Josh Asselin (with ball) fought his way to a double-double against Oakland Friday, with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

and submitted an Oscar-worthy performance.

Jones led all Wolverines with 22 points on 9 of 15 shooting, and punctuated Michigan's explosive first-half start with a tip-in and 3-pointer, back-to-back, increasing Michigan's lead to 28 points with 5:49 remaining in the half.

"He's playing like he has a year under his belt, and that's old on this team," said Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe. Ellerbe acknowledges that Jones took his microscopic team role personally last season, and that it might have inspired him to work harder over the off-season.

But instead of sitting off stage in the limelight, while the seniors played out their last season in Michigan uniforms, now Jones is one of the veterans. He balances out a backcourt filled with freshmen who exhibit talent, but also first-year imperfection.

"My role on the team is different this year," said Jones. "I'm more of a leader to some of the younger guys on the team. I can't be shy or go out there with a lack of confidence if I'm going to be a leader."

Friday night was a perfect example of the stability that Jones brings to Michigan. In a surprise move, Ellerbe did not start bona-fide point guard freshman Kevin Gaines because, as he said during the post-game press conference, Gaines broke an unspecified team rule.

"We had to make sure that he understands he's very important to the team, but he's got to follow suit with what we're doing," Ellerbe said. "I think he was a little unsettled, not quite sure when I was going to put him in."

Despite the lightning-quick coast-to-coast dribbles and the no-look passes he showed in two exhibition games, Gaines didn't enter his first college game until four minutes into the first half.

It had no apparent effect on Michigan's game plan, as Jones teamed with freshmen Jamal Crawford and Gavin Groninger to manipulate Oakland's lethargic backcourt. In the campaign's first minute Groninger and Blanchard sank 3-pointers, on assists from Jones and Crawford, and by the time Jones nailed his first long-range shot, Michigan held a 14-4 lead.

Jones' outside shots and aggressive play sparked the Wolverines all night. He nailed three of five shots from behind the 3-point arc, but it was one drive to the hoop that impressed Ellerbe the most, because the sophomore appeared tentative too often last season.

"He had the best play of the game," said the third-year coach. "Stepping from behind the (free-throw) line, he drove to the hoop on one dribble and just layed it up. We need plays like that from him. We've got to get those from Kevin Gaines as well."

11-22-99