Steel country to ski country

The Rayen senior will play basketball at the University of Buffalo next year.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- A few minutes after Thursday's game against Wilson, Rayen School senior Tieara Jones walked out of the locker room wearing a bright white pair of Nike Air Force One basketball shoes.
The way Jones figures, she might as well enjoy them while she can.
"The weather [in Buffalo] going to kill me. I won't be wearing Air Force Ones up there," said Jones, who last month signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at the University at Buffalo. "I'm going to have to get a wide selection of Timberlands.
"I'll get through it, though. My dorm room's going to be real warm, I'll tell you that."
Jones, a 5-foot-11 forward, had a number of offers -- including every school in the Mid-American Conference. (YSU was not one of the schools pursuing her.) But after a visit to Buffalo's campus and several talks with the coach, Linda Hill-MacDonald (a former head coach of the WNBA's Cleveland Rockers), Jones said the decision was easy.
"She reminds me so much of my mother [Karen Jones]," Jones said. "They're persistent and they're always in my ear. 'If you want to do this, you've got to do this.' They keep me in line.
"Plus, they're my friends first. My mom's one of my best friends."
Jones also knew she'd have a chance to earn playing time with the Bulls. Many of the MAC schools that were recruiting her were also recruiting her AAU teammates who played the same position, many of whom had already committed.
"Why would they need me?" she said. "They do the same things I do."
Versatility
Of course, Jones' versatility makes her more than a typical forward. She'll also play guard and center at times for the Tigers.
"Wherever we need her, she'll go there and she'll work hard," said Rayen coach Tanisha Franklin. "It's an honor to coach her. She's such a blessing."
She's also a good student, carrying a 3.6 grade point average. One of the reasons she chose Buffalo was it had her major, forensic psychology. She went to a forensic camp sponsored by NEOUCOM a few years ago and was fascinated. The field involves studying a criminal's psyche and delving into issues such as competency, intent and whether or not someone was insane at the time a crime occurred.
"You actually sit down and talk to the criminal and find out why they did that," she said.
Jones, however, doesn't have as much interest in something else Buffalo offers: skiing.
"I've done it once," she said "I wasn't that great."
For now, she'll stick with something she is good at -- basketball. The two-year starter joins junior Brittany Taylor to lead a talented group of Tigers.
"Her athletic skills speak for themselves," said Franklin. "She's a good all-around player. And she's one of those kids who people like to be around. She's a hard worker and she's very dedicated."
And Jones has high hopes for this season. When asked what she expects, she smiled and said, "Just put S-T-A-T-E. We want to be state champions. It's my last year and we shouldn't look for anything else.
"It's now or never."
scalzo@vindy.com