Countdown to tipoff: Coaching staff links Hannibal’s past to its present to rebuild success

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HANNIBAL, Mo. — In Dezi Jones’ mind, the only thing better than coaching with Josh Pickett would have been the chance to play with him.

“Imagine if we played together,” Jones said.

Pickett liked the thought of that, too.

“I wouldn’t mind passing to this guy,” Pickett said.

While Pickett, a 2003 graduate of Hannibal High School, and Jones, a 2019 Hannibal grad, never got to share the basketball court as a guard tandem, they have joined forces on the sideline as coaches.

Pickett was named the Pirates’ boys basketball coach in March 2024, and about six months later, he received a text message from Jones about joining his coaching staff. Jones had just wrapped up five seasons of college basketball — two at Moberly Area Community College and three between Division 1 schools Quinnipiac and Austin Peay where he played in 98 combined games — and would be coming back home to Hannibal to recover from hip surgery, which he underwent on July 1.

“I thought I might as well help out the high school that I played at and coaches that I know, help some of the players out while I’m available so I can give them some knowledge,” Jones said.

It was a no-brainer for Pickett.

“When you have a guy like that wanting to help and volunteer his time, then you make that happen,” Pickett said.

Pickett was an assistant coach at Hannibal-LaGrange University — located right up the street from Hannibal High School — while Jones was in high school.

“I knew who he was, and I had actually done a couple training sessions with him,” Pickett said. “He came out to the college, and I worked him out a little bit.”

From a basketball IQ standpoint, Pickett knew Jones had what it takes to be a coach.

It was just a matter of getting Jones out of his shell a bit.

“His basketball knowledge is off the charts,” Pickett said. “He’s able to see the game and break it down, but when I first started working with him, he was a really quiet kid.”

Fast-forward to the first two weeks of practices, and Pickett has seen Jones blossom into an outgoing, energetic coach.

“The first few practices, he just wasn’t sure, like he didn’t want to step on toes or anything,” Pickett said. “I just sent him a message like, ‘Hey man, I want you in their ear every chance you get just explaining the game of basketball to them.’ These last few practices, he’s really bought into that. I’ll be yelling at one end at a group of guys, then I’ll hear him on the other end getting on a guy and bringing that energy. I love it. I think it’s great for the guys, and they really appreciate that, too.”

Pirates sophomore guard Reed Holliday embraces that exuberance.

“We were down there working on post drills, and he was playing defense on us. He was hooting and hollering and getting all in our face,” Holliday said. “It was awesome. It’s amazing to see him do his thing as well as him help us do our thing.”

Jones had given private lessons before, but this is his first foray into coaching a team.

“This is what I want to get into once my career is over,” said Jones, Hannibal’s all-time leading scorer with 2,153 points. “Now that I’m actually with a whole team, it’s a little different. I’m going off of what (Pickett) wants and how he wants everything run. I’m just an extension of the head coach.”

Jones’ wealth of basketball intellect — and its freshness — that he acquired while playing Division 1 basketball has served him well.

“I’ve really slowed the game down,” Jones said. “When I was in high school, I was just more talented and gifted, and I was out here hooping. Once I got to college, I really learned how to manipulate the game, break it down, slow my game down, not be in a rush all the time, just take my time, and go at my own speed, my own pace.

“I’m trying to break it down the same way for the kids. These kids just want to go 100 percent all the time. In basketball, you can’t do that. You have to slow down, read the game, and take what the defense gives you.”

Pickett and Jones lead a Hannibal program that has not had a winning season since Jones’ senior year and lost eight seniors from last year’s squad, but this team’s depth has Pickett optimistic about its prospects.

“We might be inexperienced, but we’re pretty deep,” Pickett said. “There’s going to be competition in practice, and I love it. Guys realize that. We don’t promise anything.”

Senior Jared Locke will likely see an expanded role as a ball-handler this season with the graduation of point guard Mason Hull and at times point-forward Quinn Thomas last spring.

“(Pickett) expects way more out of me this year,” Locke said. 

With some help from Pickett, who set Hannibal’s single-game (18) and single-season (162) records in assists as the Pirates’ point guard in 2002-03, Locke believes he can grow into a more than serviceable point guard.

“I’ve never been really a scorer,” Locke said. “I’m more of a player that gets the ball to other guys to let them score. Hopefully he can help me be a better point guard.”

Holliday, who like Locke did individual workouts with Pickett in junior high, has already seen positive returns from Pickett’s coaching.

“He would help us with our shots and mechanical stuff,” Holliday said. “I’ve always had a blast learning from him and taking in everything I can.”

Pickett expects seniors Clayton Neisen, Brayden Simmons, Kaden Hines and Nate Waters, along with sophomore Ben Richards and junior Darrion Washington, to play prominent roles.

Pickett said Washington, a quick-twitch running back on the football team, will especially benefit from Jones’ preaching of slowing the game down.

“He’s super explosive,” Pickett said of Washington. “Anybody who watched him on the football field knows what he’s capable of. He’s so fast, and like Dezi said, understanding how to change your speeds, once we can get Darrion to do that, he’ll be pretty darn tough.”

Jones plans to continue his playing days overseas once his hip recovers, which could happen as early as January, so he is uncertain how long he will be around.

One thing is for certain though, and that is that Jones has proven to be a valuable asset by Pickett’s side.

“It’s always good to give back to where you came from and what this place did for me,” Jones said. “It doesn’t drain me or anything. I enjoy it.”