To Steve Forbes, there’s little doubt that the best point guard in the country plays at Northwest Florida State College. As Chris Jones heads into his second season in Niceville, major college coaches from across the country seem to agree. Jones, a sophomore point guard from Memphis, Tenn., was the jewel of Forbes’ first recruiting class as head coach at NWF State and he didn’t disappoint in his first season, leading the Raiders to the brink of a national championship. Now, Jones finds himself as one of the hottest recruiting prospects in the country, as more than 20 Division I programs are jostling for position to land the 5-10 point guard. For Forbes, the rabid interest in Jones is no surprise. “Whoever ends up signing Chris will get the best point guard in the country, there’s no doubt in my mind,” said Forbes. “And I’m talking about the whole country. I know there’s no junior college guards that are as good as he is, and I doubt any high school kids can offer what he can offer.” Jones averaged 18 points, five assists and four rebounds as a freshman, helping the Raiders to a 27-2 record and a national runner-up finish. That sparkling season helped Jones generate recruiting interest from many of the top D-I programs in the country, with Kansas, Louisville, Marquette and other marquee names lining up in an attempt to land the explosive guard. As for Jones, he is playing it close to the vest. After all, he’s been here before. Two years ago, Jones was a highly-touted senior rated as a 4-star prospect by two national recruiting services. At that time, Jones opted to sign with Forbes, who was an assistant coach at the University of Tennessee. After Forbes landed the head coaching job at NWF State and Jones fell short of qualifying academically, the pair joined forces in Niceville. “It’s good to have him as a coach because he knows what I’m going through and he knows the process,” said Jones of Forbes, who has made sure to offer advice but keep a distance from his point guard’s recruitment. “I know if I ever need anything I can go to him and he will treat me like a man and tell me the truth.” According to Forbes, whoever signs NWF State’s sophomore leader will be getting a mature player who’s ready to take the next step. “Chris has always had the basketball ability,” said Forbes, “but now, more than two years (later), he’s mature as a player and he has learned to harness his competitive nature. He’s more balanced now, more even…He’s ready for anything.”