Tiana Jones is in her first season as an St. Thomas assistant women’s basketball coach. Kenneth Lowe enters his third year in a similar position with the Tommies men’s team. The MSR talked to both Jones and Lowe in separate interviews before the season.
Jones feels she fits right in
Armed with an MBA from Faulkner (Ala.) University in 2021 and a sports management degree from Drexel in 2018, Tiana Jones brings to the Tommies several seasons of basketball experience she gained from a variety of experiences at her previous stops. These include Wagner, SUNY-Canton, Faulkner, St. Joseph, and Drexel, where she got her initial basketball start as a team manager (2014-18).
UST Coach Ruth Sinn said of Jones, “We are extremely excited to have her on the bench. Tiana stood out for her extensive coaching experience along with certain characteristics and personality traits that we believe can bring our program to the next level.”
“You come into a program,” noted Jones, “that actually knows their direction and knows where they want to go, and you fit right in.
“Coaching was always in my plans,” she admitted. Her responsibilities over the years have included recruiting, player development, scouting, and academic, travel and referee liaison during her two seasons at Wagner College, as well as video specialist at St. Joseph’s (2022-23).
Lowe loves player development
Kenneth Lowe joined the Tommies coaching staff in 2022 after similar roles as an assistant coach at Miami (Ohio) in 2017-22 and Purdue (2013-17), where he played and graduated.
As a college player, Lowe was a two-time All-Big Ten (2003, 2004) and two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (2003, 2004). But he also finished second all-time in free throw percentage (over 86 percent) and 46th in scoring (1,079).
After nine seasons playing overseas, Lowe moved into coaching. “I started off as assistant video coordinator at Purdue,” he recalled. “I never played for [current] Coach [Matt] Painter, but he hired me fresh from playing overseas.”
At St. Thomas, Lowe’s three main areas of responsibilities are player development, recruiting coordinator, and defensive coordinator (which he shares with fellow assistant Cameron Rundles — the two are the only Black coaches on the staff). Asked his preference, he said, “Honestly, it doesn’t matter.”
But pressed, Lowe pointed out, “I would say working the guys out. I love being around young men, helping them get better as basketball players and as men. That’s the main reason why I coach.
“I want to help these young guys be the best version of themselves,” concluded Lowe. “I’m excited about being here.”
Yale coach on representing
The last time Minnesota and Yale played each other in men’s basketball was in 1980, before then in 1902 and 1957. But their fourth ever meeting last Saturday was unlike the three previous contests—this time both teams had Black head coaches.
“It’s not something you think about every day, but it’s something in the back of your mind,” Yale HC James Jones, now in his 26 years at the Ivy League school, told me after the Saturday afternoon game, which the hosts won 59-56. “To be able to show people who look like me that you can do a job like this and be successful at it. That’s one of the motivating factors for me to be as good as I possibly can be for others to come after me.”
Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.