Young Guards Vital to Colgate’s Future

Jalen Cox ’27 and Parker Jones ’27 played together at Loyola High School in Los Angeles. Two years later, they reunited, only this time on the other side of the country as teammates at Colgate.

Both began their collegiate basketball careers as reserve players who saw limited action. But as the season progressed, opportunities emerged. They earned more playing time, minutes increased, and they went on to become major contributors on a team that captured its fourth consecutive Patriot League Championship.

Head Coach Matt Langel said he was pleased with how both guards performed as first-years.

“I thought they both did great,” Langel said. “They were entering spaces as first-year players, joining a team that had high expectations and uncertainty in the back court. They both did lots of things to help us win, and to learn and grow and improve over the course of their seasons.”

When injuries opened the door for more opportunities midway through the season, Cox was inserted in the starting lineup. He made his first collegiate start against American on Jan. 27. He would not relinquish the starting job for the rest of the season.

Playing 20-plus minutes a night, Cox became a better guard with each game. But his best performance came at a crucial time for Colgate — the Patriot League semifinals against Bucknell.

Cox scored a career-high 15 points, which included 14 points after halftime. His contribution helped Colgate erase a double-digit deficit and earn a thrilling 68-65 victory. 

Jones made his first start with Colgate against the Greyhounds on Feb. 10. He played a season-high 31 minutes, providing a huge lift as several players dealt with illnesses. Colgate would win the game and maintain an incredible run of 12 consecutive conference victories, seizing the regular season title in the process.

He appeared in 32 games, and scored a season-high 16 points against VTSU Lyndon on Dec. 6. For the season, he connected on 48 percent from the field and 41 percent from three-point range. He shot 83 percent from the free throw line.

For both student-athletes, their first seasons as Raiders could not have gone any better. 

“My first season was amazing,” Cox said. “I ended up starting my freshman year, helping Colgate achieve another Patriot League title and then another Patriot League championship. Then I got to play in March Madness, which was an incredible experience. I couldn’t have asked for a better first year.”

Jones said he learned much from his coaches and teammates, which allowed him to grow as the season went on.

“Coming in, you don’t know what to expect,” Jones said. “Just being a high school student and going right into D-I basketball, I don’t want to put expectations on myself. But I think I had an amazing year.

“I felt like I grew a lot as a player and as a person this year,” he said. “Obviously, I wish I would have played more, but we had so many guys who could do a lot of things, and I think next year I will see more time. But this year was a great year for growing and developing and learning the Colgate system.”

After Cox and Jones finished high school, they each spent a year playing basketball at post-graduate schools in the Northeast. Cox played for South Kent in Connecticut while Jones joined Worcester Academy in Massachusetts. The extra year allowed them to polish their skills and find more opportunities to play D-I basketball.

While at their respective schools, they played against each other, too.

Colgate Assistant Coach Camryn Crocker first met Jones while he was playing club basketball in California. When Jones moved on to Worcester, Crocker continued to monitor his progress. 

That’s when Colgate began to aggressively recruit Jones. And in the process, Colgate coaches learned about Cox through conversations with Jones’ parents, who recommended him as a player who could be a good fit for the Raiders. 

From there, Colgate started watching Cox at South Kent and would go on to recruit him as well.

Cox is a former track runner with size, length, and exceptional speed, Langel said. 

“There are not many guys I’ve been around and coached that can move so effortlessly down the floor,” Langel said. “His competitive spirit and defensive instincts and defensive skills are something that really jump off the page.”

In Jones, Colgate saw a student-athlete with the potential to replace Tucker Richardson, who graduated in 2023. In Richardson, Colgate had a student-athlete with the ability to score from anywhere on the court — especially from the three-point line. He became one of the most accomplished players in Raiders’ history.

“In addition to having size and length and athletic ability, I like Parker’s feel for the game,” Langel said. “He’s not a one-dimensional player. He could rebound. He could defend. He had a good vision and understanding of what his team wanted to do. He’s a good shooter. He could penetrate with the ball. 

"Tucker Richardson was getting toward the end of his career. He provided a lot of things. We were looking for a player who could do all those things in that mold.”

By adding Cox and Jones to the roster, it’s also the first time Langel has coached two players from the same high school at once.

Along with their basketball talents, Cox and Jones brought other qualities that Colgate seeks in recruits — like strong character, a team-first mentality, and an interest to study at a university with a robust academic program.

Cox and Jones said they’re thrilled to be teammates again. It has made for a smoother transition to D-I basketball and college life. Not only are they close friends, but they know each other’s styles on the court.

“Having a teammate at Colgate that I already played with is great,” Cox said. “I’ve known Parker for eight years now and I feel that I know his tendency a lot on and off the court, which has helped me feel comfortable playing for Colgate since the first day.”

Heading into the summer, both student-athletes are returning to Los Angeles to enjoy the time off and prepare for the upcoming season. Cox and Jones plan on training together.

Looking toward the 2024-25 season, the two California products are excited about their futures and are eager to take the next step.

“My goal next year early on is to do everything I did this year but better, helping more on the offensive end as well as the defensive end, and trying to win more non-conference games,” Cox said. “I want to go undefeated in conference play and try to win some games in March Madness.”

As the seniors on the roster graduate, Jones said he hopes to take advantage of the opportunities that are up for grabs.

“One of my big goals is I want to be a starter,” Jones said. “I want to play significant minutes. I want to make a bigger impact. Losing guys like Keegan Records and Ryan Moffatt, we are going to be missing a lot. I think there are opportunities for me to step in and make a big impact.”

Colgate will be moving ahead with a young and deep roster. And when the season kicks off in November, Cox and Jones will be called on to shoulder more responsibility on the court.

“If we’re going to continue to sustain and compete at the level that we have, along with some of our other players, Jalen and Parker will have to grow into significant roles,” Langel said. 

“I think they worked hard during the offseason and have continued to show signs of guys who will be capable of doing that,” Langel said. “I think that’s what they’re motivated to do and it’s what the program needs from them.”