Lemont High School To Name Court In Honor Of John Jones

LEMONT, IL — John Jones, a former coach and Athletic Director at Lemont High School, will be honored during a ceremony on Jan. 19 as the school names the court in its gymnasium in his honor.

Jones served as the head boys basketball coach from 1962-1990, and as athletic director from 1979 to 1991.

A reception for Coach Jones will be held before the game in the lobby of the Performing Arts Center at 6 p.m., with a brief program at 6:15 p.m. The ceremony will begin at 6:45 p.m.

After the pregame ceremony in the gym, the boys’ basketball team will host Oak Lawn. After the game, there will be a gathering in honor of Coach Jones at Next Mex, 319 Front St.

Jones was inducted to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1982, and was part of the inaugural induction class of the Lemont High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004, the high school said.

Among his many accomplishments, he guided Lemont to its first IHSA Sectional title during the 1974-75 season, founded the Lemont Christmas Classic basketball tournament, and was awarded the school’s “Pride in Excellence” award in 1988.

When Jones started coaching at LHS, the school was not in any athletic conferences, according to Jones' biographical information. He was able to get the school accepted into the same conference as Plainfield High School in 1961.

Jones was voted Coach of the Year five times during his tenure at LHS, and served as the president of the Illinois Coaches Association for seven years.