Watch Iowa recruit Ava Jones score in emotional return to basketball court in Kansas
Six months after suffering life-threatening injuries in an accident by an impaired driver in Louisville, Ava Jones returned to the basketball court on Tuesday night to score a basket.
Doctors have told Jones that her basketball career is likely over, but that hasn’t stopped from the Nickerson senior from battling every day in her rehabilitation to prove them wrong.
On Tuesday, Jones, wearing a left knee brace, made her way on the court to start the Nickerson-Halstead girls basketball game. Both teams agreed prior to tip to allow Jones to score the opening basket, so Nickerson won the tip, passed the ball to every player and delivered a pass underneath the basket to Jones, who made the left-handed layup to draw a rousing standing ovation from the crowd.
“Ava told us she wasn’t going to cry, but she started to tear up when she heard her name announced in the starting lineup,” Nickerson coach Hannah Millershaski said. “And then I look out at the crowd and everyone is already standing up and then it was just a roar. It was just surreal. Sometimes it’s hard to fathom everything that has happened to her and how far she has come in such a short amount of time.”
Jones had mentioned the idea as a possibility to her coach over winter break, but first needed clearance from her doctors following a knee surgery. She finally was cleared to start walking without crutches over this past weekend and with another knee surgery coming up soon, Jones knew Tuesday’s home game might be the last chance for her to put on a basketball uniform one more time at Nickerson.
“When she walked out in her uniform, just seeing her wearing a uniform again made you emotional,” Millershaski said. “It makes you very thankful that she’s here with us and thankful for the progress that she’s made. She is so determined and just to see all of her hard work pay off is exactly what she deserves.”
Jones was nervous before the game about making the shot, but there was never a doubt when she received the pass underneath the goal and calmly made the left-handed lay-up — a point of pride since she is a right-handed shooter.
“What a flex by her,” Millershaski said, laughing. “For her to shoot that with her left hand and to make it on the first try, that just made it all more special.”
The Halstead girls basketball team also made the night special, as each player had a rose to give to Amy Jones, Ava’s mother who was Nickerson’s scorekeeper for the game, before the game.
After Ava scored and a timeout was called, the Halstead players also had a bouquet of flowers ready to give to Ava.
“Since moving to this part of Kansas, I have just been blown away by the amount of kindness and how much everyone is willing to help in whatever way,” Millershaski said. “For the Halstead girls to do that, it was just so special. We had no idea they were going to do that until we showed up tonight.”
It was such an emotional moment because on July 5, 2022, Ava Jones and her parents, Amy and Trey, were severely injured when they were struck while walking on a sidewalk in downtown Louisville by an intoxicated driver.
Trey Jones ultimately died from the injuries suffered, while Ava Jones and her mother, Amy, battled in critical condition for weeks before being dismissed and allowed to return home to Nickerson.
Women’s basketball players from all around the country rallied behind Jones following the tragedy and the Iowa women’s basketball team, which Jones was committed to play for, has honored its scholarship commitment to Jones.
“I think what tonight showed was a lot of hope,” Millershaski said. “Not only for Ava and for Amy and their family, who lost such an important part of their family, but Ava just showed so much strength. The Nickerson community has been amazing in their support and I think Ava showed all of her hard work and how determined she is and it shows hope for everyone and for anyone who has followed her story to see her out on that court making a left-handed shot.”
This story was originally published January 10, 2023 at 7:47 PM.
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