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Pinnacle High School has named Ray Jones, Jr. head coach of the boy’s basketball program. The hiring was announced by Athletic Director Mark Stuckenschneider Thursday afternoon.

“We are definitely excited,not only for his basketball experience and expertise, but also the raw enthusiasm that he brings to everything he does,” said Stuckenschneider on KOAL’s Drive Time Sports. “He brings a high level of optimism and energy. That is contagious to everyone around him.”

Along with leading the boy’s basketball team, Jones will also take over the head coaching duties for baseball and track and field beginning with the 2020 fall sports season. He will also teach Physical Education at the school.

Jones accepts the job at Pinnacle following a three-year stint as the top assistant for the Utah State University Eastern men’s basketball team.

“We’ve always had a really good relationship with USU Eastern and there was open communication with both schools,” said Stuckenschneider. “We’re just excited to bring somebody like this to Pinnacle.”

Before arriving at USU Eastern in 2017, Jones served as a Player Development Assistant at Southern Utah University under Head Coach Todd Simon.

Jones began his college basketball playing career with two years at Connors State College, located in Warner, Oklahoma. Two years later, Jones transferred to Southern Utah University to play under head coach Roger Reid.

After completing his eligibility and graduating from Southern Utah, Jones would go on to play professionally in Germany and Slovakia. He later returned to Cedar City to coach under Simon.

Jones, a Little Rock, Arkansas native, holds a Bachelors Degree in Communications from Southern Utah and is currently working on a Masters Degree in Physical and Sports Education.

**Photo courtesy of USU Eastern

Listen to Stuckenschneider’s complete interview from Thursday, April 2:

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