Keydren Clark was an idol to Lamont (Momo) Jones growing up in Harlem.
Jones looked on as Clark won two consecutive NCAA Division I scoring titles at St. Peter’s and a few months after that Jones donned the green and gold of Clark’s alma mater, Rice.
“I’ve looked up to him since before I got there,” Jones said. “We always worked out together. I always saw him around and it was sort of like a big brother-little brother type of relationship. He would tell me what to do, what not to do, how to conduct myself – things like that.”
Though Jones transferred from Rice after his sophomore season for American Christian (Pa.) and then Oak Hill Academy (Va.), that relationship remains today. The two don’t get to see each other often – Jones just completed his freshman season at Arizona and Clark just finished his fourth year in Greece – but there is a kinship.
That was revisited Wednesday night when the two played for Bingo’s All-Stars in a victory over Team 914. The pair helped end 914’s undefeated summer. Clark was a monster in the second half with 30 points and Jones had all of his 10 points in the first half. All the while, Clark was still passing on wisdom just like he did a few years ago.
“Momo is a good young player,” he said. “He comes out of Rice High School, just like myself. Once he starts to understand the game and the tempo of it a little bit more, he’s gonna do great things at Arizona.”
It’s clear that Clark sees a little of himself in Jones. They are both fast and athletically gifted small point guards – Clark is 5-foot-9 and Jones is listed at a generous 6 feet. The both of them are even more commonly known by nicknames derived from their first names: KeeKee and Momo.
“Most definitely,” Clark says of the comparisons. “He can shoot the ball like me. He can get to the basket. He’s very aggressive. Like I said, once he learns how to understand the game at the next level, he’ll be fine.”
Jones bristled at the comparison, though, almost uncomfortable to be compared to one of his heroes growing up.
“I can’t shoot like him,” he said.
That might be true. Jones’ jump shot is still a work in progress, while Clark is an absolute gunner. He finished his career at St. Peter’s with the most 3-pointers in NCAA history (435), only to be surpassed by J.J. Redick a few years later. A few weeks ago at Dyckman, Clark drained nine 3-pointers in a game.
But the comparisons still remain. Jones still has entire career at Arizona in front of him. And if he becomes even a fraction of the player and role model that Clark is, he too will do Harlem proud. It won’t be long before Momo is the next great guard that the kids in the area will look up to.