Girls basketball: One of the top players in the country, Naperville Central’s Jones commits to Clemson

Most fans of women’s college basketball would be happy to see a Final Four consisting of power programs UCLA, LSU, Clemson and Tennessee. For Naperville Central standout Trinity Jones, those schools made up her personal Final Four when it came down to deciding where she would play after her senior year with the Redhawks.

On Monday, the suspense came to a close at Naperville Central as the 6-foot-2 shooting guard donned a Clemson shirt and announced that she would take her talented game to Clemson, South Carolina to play in the ACC for the Tigers. One of the top guards in the country, Jones averaged more than 25 points as a freshman for Naperville Central before moving to Bolingbrook and scoring 20 ppg as a sophomore.

A torn ACL cost her all of her junior campaign back at Naperville Central before she returned just in time to make a limited appearance in a regional game, scoring 6 points. Fully recovered from the injury and excelling at the club level, Jones had her choice of many of the top programs in the nation before deciding on Clemson. Jones has been a member of the gold medal-winning USA Basketball team that went undefeated in the 2023 FIBA U16 Americas Championship.

“The process was exciting,” said Jones, who received her first scholarship offer from Maryland when she was in the seventh grade at Madsion Junior High in Naperville. “I chose Clemson because I just felt very comfortable there. I got to get to know the coaches individually and together, and I really love that. It's a good group of people, and I believe I trust coach [Shawn] Poppie. I believe he can get me to the next level.”

She also liked the players and future teammates she met on campus. “I really have a good relationship with the girls. I stayed in contact with them even when I was going on other visits. So, it's like the connection was there, and they were really strong and supportive,” Jones said.

Redhawks coach Andy Nussbaum expects big things out of Jones and her teammates at Naperville Central this season. Nussbaum coached women’s basketball legend Candace Parker, who helped the Redhawks win back-to-back state titles in 2003 and 2004. Parker went on to star at Tennessee and then in the WNBA where she won multiple championships including one with the Chicago Sky.

“In my 38 years, it's only the second Power Five conference scholarship we've had for girls basketball,” said Nussbaum, who expects to surround Jones with a strong team this winter that will include 1,300-point scorer Erin Hackett and a pair of 6-4 players in sisters Annabelle and Katelyn Kritzer.

When asked to sum up her basketball game, Jones replied: “I would say, passionate, loud, fast, poised. I would just say my game is very fluent — quick, sharp, you know.”

Opponents who have struggled to contain her do know.

Jones and the Redhawks are looking to make every Redhawks opponent know it will be a long night on the hardwood when they face Naperville Central this season.

“I'm really excited. We got a good group of girls,” said Jones, who has no complaints about having a couple teammates on the floor taller than her and on her side. “We’ve got some good height. I'm now the third tallest, and actually I’m good with that.”

Nussbaum adds, “You know, I feel like we should be able to compete with anybody. Whether that happens or not, well, sure your guess is as good as mine. Trinity is clearly one of the best three players we've ever had, OK, and I'm just happy that she's back. It’s very similar to our state championship teams in ’03 and ’04. I think we've got players around her that can contribute.”