Over the past season, Joel Jones has showcased his skills at Hornet Gym, where he has used superior athleticism and a soft outside touch to dominate his Big Sky competition.

Now, after being selected to compete for the Puerto Rican national team, the world is this 20-year old's stage, and the world's greatest players are his competition.

Jones has been selected as one of the top 30 Puerto Rican players who will compete this summer for one of 14 national team spots.

The national team roster will consist of 12 active players and two alternates.

Jones, whose mother grew up in Ponce, Puerto Rico, made his first trip to the Caribbean Island over spring break.

"As soon as I got off the plane I looked around and felt like family," he said. "They were my people."

While on the island, Jones visited with family in Ponce and played in a preseason game with the Bayamon Vaqueros, one of the top teams in Puerto Rico's professional league.

Coming into the game, the San Diego native had already been named to Puerto Rico's under-21 national team.

Thirty-two points, 17 rebounds and nine assists later Jones was being heavily considered for the national team.

"You don't just develop running and jumping ability like that," said Puerto Rican scout Jose Perez, referring to Jones' electrifying play. "You either have it, or you don't have it."

After he completes his spring semester at Sac State, Jones will head back out to Puerto Rico to play with the Vaqueros for the remainder of their season.

Playing alongside him on the Vaqueros' team will be Carmello Travieso and Edgar Padilla, who played alongside Marcus Camby at the University of Massachusetts, and international superstar Jerome Mincy.

Mincy, Travieso and Padilla will all be competing with Jones for a spot on the national team.

If Jones qualifies for the national team, he will get his first crack at international competition at basketball's World Championships, which will be held in Indianapolis.

The Championships will feature some of the worlds' best talent, including NBA stars Pedrag Stojakovic (Yugoslavia), Steve Nash (Canada), Jason Kidd (USA), and Ray Allen (USA) among others.

"They are what I'm trying to be," Jones said. "I have respect for them, but I'm not scared."

In Big Sky action, the Hornet guard averaged 15.1 points and a conference-leading 2.14 steals per game, while helping the Hornets tie their Div. I season-high win total of nine.

Helping guide Jones along through his international basketball experience is Hornet coach and Puerto Rican native Nicolas Colon.

"I think he'll be prepared," said the first-year Hornet assistant coach, who sites athleticism, shooting and being able to put the ball on the floor as Jones' strong points.

Colon also works with Jones on the mental aspect of the game, making sure he builds confidence through his experience while remaining level headed.

"We talk about humbleness all the time," Colon said. "Basketball is a strange sport. Today you may look all-world, and tomorrow you may not score a basket."

And when Jones needs advice on dealing with the international competition, he doesn't have to look far.

In the 1984 Olympics, Colon ran the 800-meter race for Puerto Rico, advancing to the semifinals.

Jones' father, Noel, competed with the Panamanian Olympic volleyball team.

And if Joel makes the national team, he will follow in both his father's and Colon's footsteps by participating in the 2004 Olympic Games to be held in Athens, Greece.

"The coaching staff hopes with the experience he gains that he will be an integral part to take us to the (Big Sky tournament) and the NCAA's," Colon said.

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