For Utah native, the NCAA Tournament in SLC is ‘a dream come true’ and ‘full-circle moment’

For almost a year, Rylan Jones has lived in Birmingham, Alabama, in a state where the highest mountain peak is Cheaha Mountain at just over 2,400 feet. Where instead of fry sauce, there is Alabama white sauce made of mayonnaise and apple cider vinegar. Where the average snowfall is a measly 2.1 inches per year.

Alabama is no Utah. But Jones, who grew up in the Beehive State and played most of high school and college basketball here, has thrived as the starting point guard at Samford University. He led the team to its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2000, and is back in Salt Lake City to see if he can make his home state proud with an upset win or two.

“It’s kind of a dream come true to come back and play here a couple more times in Salt Lake City,” Jones said Wednesday. “It’s just a feeling, kind of a full-circle moment, honestly. ... For me to come back here and be able to play in the hometown with these guys, my brothers and my teammates, it’s a surreal feeling that I really can’t describe.”

Jones played at Logan High School, then at Olympus where he won a 5A state title in 2018. He played at Utah for two seasons before transferring to Utah State.

Jones dealt with a shoulder injury concussion issues while at the two Utah schools, and was reportedly medically disqualified from playing his final season with the Aggies, who made the NCAA Tournament in 2023. After “multiple” neurologists cleared him to play, he set his sights on returning to basketball. Last May, he committed to Samford.

Jones seemed ecstatic about the fact that he has been able to show his Samford teammates around Salt Lake City. He said he imagined that two of his teammates, Jermaine Marshall and Achor Achor, would’ve preferred to play the first and second rounds of the tournament “in Brooklyn or someplace else.”

“I know it wasn’t the best destination for my boys right here, but I was happy to see it,” Jones said with a smile.

Jones got a laugh from reporters when he said he introduced his teammates to some famous Utah cuisine.

“Took them to one of my favorite restaurants,” Jones said. “We went to Crown Burger on Highland Drive.”

Jones is looking forward seeing not just his close family and friends, but also those who supported him while at Olympus and Logan and other stops along the way. He said his mother made “countless, countless” trips to Birmingham and watched almost every home game.

Jones also acknowledged that getting to play in Salt Lake City for the tournament saved his family “a lot of money.” His father, Chris Jones, who is a former Utah assistant coach, has said in interviews that they’re saving “$10,000.”

“I couldn’t have asked for anything else,” Jones said. “I’m cherishing every second of it.”

Jones isn’t the only player in the Salt Lake City region of the tournament with ties to the state. Nolan Hickman, who starts for Gonzaga, played for Wasatch Academy in high school. McNeese State reserve Mike Saunders Jr. also played at Wasatch and spent last season with the Utah Runnin’ Utes.

“You can tell he’s definitely been excited to be back here,” Christian Shumate said of Saunders. “He even told us when we came, this is basically his second home. He’s been here a lot of years. You could just tell his energy has been good. His energy has been really high. He’s excited to be here.”

Gonzaga coach Mark Few said Hickman has been impactful this season and grown a lot.

“He’s grown up a lot,” Few said. “He’s done a better job of being more even-keeled. Sometimes last year he was an emotional roller coaster based on performance. He’s leveled off a little bit as far as being there for us night in and night out, irregardless of how his offense is going. There’s been some huge steps leadership-wise and just kind of mental growth-wise.”