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Darrien Jones was the linchpin of Columbia’s run to its first Final Four in 52 years. (MANDI SLOAN/Special to the Reporter)
Growing up, Darrien Jones was simply known as Darrell Jones’ little brother.
Darrell, who was four years ahead of him, was a star forward at Columbia and went on to play at Valdosta State.
When Darrell graduated in 2016, Darrien entered high school a few months later. Nobody knew who Darrien Jones was yet.
Even then, people would ask “Hey, aren’t you Darrell’s little brother?” But Darrien made sure to make a name for himself when he eventually took the floor for the Tigers.
“I would just laugh and tell them I have my own image,” Darrien said. “Don’t call me Darrell’s little brother. I let them know.”
Everybody knows who Darrien is now after two historic seasons at Columbia. Following a junior year where he helped the Tigers win their first district title since 2000, Jones led them to another district championship and their first trip to the state Final Four since 1968.
Darrien never tried to be like Darrell when he got to Columbia. Instead, he carved his own niche and he now leaves as one of the best guards to ever suit up for the Tigers
Jones finished second on the team this year with 10.9 points per game and a county-best 4.2 assists, while also averaging 4.1 rebounds, and his instrumental play at point guard is why he’s the Lake City Reporter’s Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
“I just found a way to do different things,” Jones said. “Nothing was given to me. I always had to work for it. Going through high school nobody thought I’d win player of the year so I always had to work. All that overtime after practice, staying in the gym, it all paid off in the end.”
Behind Jones’ calming presence, Columbia flourished. The Tigers won 10 of their first 11 games and didn’t lose a contest in 2020 until a heartbreaking defeat in double overtime in the Class 6A state semifinals to Dillard, which made a controversial buzzer-beater at the end of the first overtime.
It was a bitter end to a stellar season for Columbia, which finished 28-3. Without Jones, Columbia coach Steve Faulkner says the Tigers wouldn’t have been nearly as good.
For Faulkner, Jones was a second coach on the floor and someone he could rely on night after night.
“He was just our steady force,” Faulkner said. “You just knew what you were going to get out of Darrien Jones every day.”
Nobody outside of Lake City gave the Tigers much of a shot against Dillard in the state semis but Jones came ready to play. He scored a season-high 20 points to combine for 44 with teammate Kenney Gaines, catching fire in the first half as Columbia built an early 13-point lead.
The Tigers were on the verge of the state title game as the clock wound down at the end of the first overtime. The ball even scurried away from Dillard’s Asonaba Bromley but he saved it from going out of bounds and found teammate Ivan Reynolds for the controversial moment.
Reynolds threw up a shot as the buzzer sounded and through the net it fell to send the game into double overtime. But the Tigers still believe he got the shot off late, and slowed-down video replays appear to show they’re right.
Instead of victory, Columbia suffered heartbreak as Dillard pulled away in the second extra period for a 71-66 win.
“It was a shock because we knew we had that game. We just knew we did,” Jones said.
“It’s still in my mind now. Everyday I think about it. If that call would’ve gone differently, what would have happened?”
Jones is quick to answer his own question, especially after watching Dillard lose to Bartow in overtime in the state championship.
“We would’ve won,” Jones said. “We for sure would’ve beat Bartow. We would have won state.”
Despite such a disappointing loss, Jones appreciates just how special this Columbia team was and it’s a group that he’ll never forget. The Tigers battled back from a double-digit deficit in the first round of the playoffs to beat Chiles 74-72 and then overcame a halftime deficit against Lincoln for a 57-56 victory in the regional semifinals.
Columbia then beat Daytona Beach Mainland 70-65 to reach the state final four, a moment Jones and his teammates had been waiting for all season long.
“We were always together,” Jones said. “We were brothers. They were like family to me. We were always together having fun.”
Darrien, like Darrell, is one of the best Faulkner has had the pleasure of coaching since he took over the program in the 2014-15 season. Each player was unique in his own way, with Darrell abusing opponents down in the post while Darrien orchestrated the offense as the coach on the floor.
But one thing Darrien will always have over Darrell is postseason success. While Darrell never won a playoff game in high school, Darrien made it three consecutive years with the Tigers, going 6-3.
Darrien likes to joke with his brother about it.
“I talk about it to this day with him,” Jones said.
It’s also why Darrien is no longer known as “Darrell Jones’ little brother.” He’s now just Darrien Jones.
“As long as I’ve had Darrien in my program he’s always been Darrell Jones’ little brother,” Faulkner said. “Well, the one thing he has over his brother is not only did he make the playoffs for three consecutive years but he also has the district title for the first time since 2000 and now the Final Four for the first time in 52 years. That’s something that I think cements his legacy as a player at Columbia High School.”
ALL-COUNTY TEAM
Kenney Gaines
Columbia, Guard
The senior led the team in scoring at 11.5 points per game and averaged 2.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
D.J. Mathews
Fort White, Guard
The senior led the county in scoring at 12.8 points per game as the Indians’ top player.
Marcus Owens
Columbia, Center
The senior was a consistent force down low for the Tigers, averaging 7.4 points, five rebounds and a steal per game.
Marcus Peterson
Columbia, Forward
The sophomore led the county in rebounding at 8.3 per game while also scoring 8.8 points with 1.4 assists and 1.3 steals.