Asked for any kind of update on the potential availability of sophomore guard Myreon Jones this Wednesday against Rutgers, Penn State coach Patrick Chambers couldn’t/wouldn’t enlighten the gathered media on Monday afternoon.
Maybe even a percentage: is Jones 80%? Is he 90%? Is there anything to be said of the fact Jones warmed up with Penn State on Sunday and was reportedly a game-time decision to play?
‘I just do what the doctors tell me. I’m not getting caught up in that deal,’ Chambers said with a laugh. ‘No way.’
Penn State has yet to confirm Jones’ illness, although various sources have indirectly speculated that he is suffering from mononucleosis. Pressed earlier in the month about Jones’ status Chambers noted that various rules and laws prevent him from disclosing Jones’ specific medical ailment. Jones has been seen on the bench for the past several games, ruling out any airborne contagious illness.
Regardless, the Nittany Lions will look to bounce back from a two-game losing streak against Illinois last week and at Indiana on Sunday with a Wednesday evening meeting with Rutgers at the Bryce Jordan Center. A win would go a long way toward righting a ship that has missed Jones’ steady shotmaking and otherwise efficient skillset.
‘You know, we lost these two games, good,’ big man John Harrar said on Monday. ‘I’m glad because now we can learn from these two games we lost. Good, I’m glad we lost those three games that started our win streak. It’s aways about changing your perspective. How can you grow, how can you watch the film and grow from those games that you lost?’
Beyond the uncertainty of Jones’ return, Penn State isn’t short on more pressing issues to address. The Nittany Lions have scored 56 and 60 points in their past two games respectively, a far cry from scoring 72 or more points in seven of its previous eight games, including three games in the 80s and 90s.
The root cause is a collection of things. Myles Dread has cooled off from beyond the arc. Curtis Jones Jr has struggled to find his form as well. Perhaps chief of all is a lower distribution of chances on the offensive end, Lamar Stevens attempting a season-high 27 shots against Indiana after spending most of the year in the mid to high teens.
‘We can’t be a great team with him being the only one who can score for us,’ Chambers said. ‘You know we’re fortunate one game we got a win but he needs help. And we need to share the ball, five assists and 14 turnovers that has not been our formula all year long…So we have to learn from what Indiana did and Illinois did, and be able to go from good to great, because he can’t do it. He can’t carry the program on his back.’
It’s easier said than done for a player closing in on becoming Penn State’s all-time leading scorer, now 69 points shy of the mark.
But if Penn State’s star doesn’t have to be its biggest star every night, that’ll go a long way toward fixing more than a few of the Nittany Lions’ current problems. Even if it can’t make Myreon Jones healthy in the process.
