Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
PSN Feature: Pearl Harbor Means the World to Jones
12/6/2016 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By John Fanta
PSN Correspondent
Sports have been a part of Madison Jones' life ever since he can remember. He's excelled at basketball at every level he's reached, and he has a unique perspective on life, thanks to a wonderful family who helped raise him. When he and Seton Hall take the court at Bloch Arena as part of the FOX Sports Pearl Harbor Invitational, the senior guard will have a lot more on his mind than just basketball.
Madison will be thinking about the man he calls his biggest inspiration, his late grandfather, Lattie Hunter, who was a Korean War veteran. Growing up in Raleigh, N.C., his childhood memories greatly involve his grandpa, who drove him to and from school every day while his parents worked.
"He always made sure I was okay," Madison said. "I looked up to him when I was younger and tried to be like him. He led our family. My mom and my grandma tell me that I even have the same mannerisms as him."
Madison's connections with those who have fought for the United States go beyond just his grandfather, though. His two older brothers, Shawn Bizzell and Marco Jones, both currently serve in the United States Armed Forces.
Bizzell was assigned to Iraq and Afghanistan following the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and now serves as a major at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Ga. Marco served nearly two years in South Korea before coming back to the U.S., where he now serves close to home as a sergeant at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
Watching his brothers fight for their country has given Madison an experience that he says he would not be the same without.
"It really makes you appreciate what you have," he said. "If it wasn't for them, we couldn't do the things that we want to do. It makes you say, 'yeah, we've got it good."
While Madison did not spend much time as a kid with Shawn, who was already in college when he was born, Marco is only four years older and the two spent much of their time growing up together. It is Marco who Madison says was his daily opponent on the court growing up.
"I've looked up to Marco ever since I was born," he said. "My dad would take both of us outside every day and we would play each other."
While both developed into high school players, Marco did not play sports in college, which led him on the path to the Army. Madison's pursuit to college would not have been the same had he not had his brother looking out for him.
"People that really care for you tell you what you need to hear," he said. "I would get done with AAU and high school games and people would complement my play, but Marco was always telling me what I didn't do right. He would say, 'you have to work harder than everybody else.' When I was in high school, I would get mad at that, being a kid. I didn't realize it was tough love that he was showing me. It then hit me that this is my brother. He's not going to lead me down the wrong path."
Marco's tough love gave Madison a foundation for being the man of the house during his teenage years. With his brothers gone and his mom working hard, Madison was the role model to his younger cousins, all the while texting his brothers as they regularly checked in on each other.
"They have really taught me how to persevere through anything," he said. "I've learned that nothing comes easy. Whether it be hard times or good times, it's about pushing through them."
Madison says both brothers keep in touch with him and that he expects Marco to be at a game or two this season to see him in a Pirate uniform for the first time.
After graduating from Wake Forest with a bachelor's degree and using the graduate transfer waiver to come to Seton Hall and study human resources management, Madison has had to deal with the challenging transition to life outside his home state. He says he looks to his brothers' past experiences to reassure himself that everything is going to be okay.
"They had to go to Iraq and South Korea," he said. "All I've done is move to New Jersey. They handled that challenge on top of fighting for our country. It makes me think that I can certainly handle this one."
When Madison found out that he and his team would be traveling to Hawai'i to help honor the men and women who serve their country as well as honor the memory of the lives lost in the attack on the U.S. 75 years ago, he says it immediately excited him.
"My brothers and my grandpa being servicemen makes me feel blessed to have an opportunity to do something for people who defend our country," he said. "I've watched these games before, I have always imagined how cool it would be to partake in an event like that. This is for our country. We have two big games to play, but this event is about them."
Madison's attitude about the visit to Hawai'i shows a high level of maturity that, coupled with the leadership qualities he learned from his family, have translated to his effort on the court. In his first season with the reigning BIG EAST champion Pirates, Madison has assumed the starting point guard spot.
"Being the point guard, I feel like I have to instill those leadership skills I learned as a kid into the guys around me," said Madison, who had a dynamic Seton Hall debut when he dished out a career-high 10 assists against Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 11. "I definitely think that what I learned from the rest of my family has translated into my play on the court."
Now, the floor general leads the Pirates onto the hardwood as basketball serves as the backdrop for an outstanding tribute to those who lost their lives in the Pearl Harbor attacks.
When asked what he was most looking forward to during the week in Hawai'i, Madison kept it simple.
"We get to do it for the troops."
PSN Correspondent
Sports have been a part of Madison Jones' life ever since he can remember. He's excelled at basketball at every level he's reached, and he has a unique perspective on life, thanks to a wonderful family who helped raise him. When he and Seton Hall take the court at Bloch Arena as part of the FOX Sports Pearl Harbor Invitational, the senior guard will have a lot more on his mind than just basketball.
Madison will be thinking about the man he calls his biggest inspiration, his late grandfather, Lattie Hunter, who was a Korean War veteran. Growing up in Raleigh, N.C., his childhood memories greatly involve his grandpa, who drove him to and from school every day while his parents worked.
"He always made sure I was okay," Madison said. "I looked up to him when I was younger and tried to be like him. He led our family. My mom and my grandma tell me that I even have the same mannerisms as him."
Madison's connections with those who have fought for the United States go beyond just his grandfather, though. His two older brothers, Shawn Bizzell and Marco Jones, both currently serve in the United States Armed Forces.
Bizzell was assigned to Iraq and Afghanistan following the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and now serves as a major at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Ga. Marco served nearly two years in South Korea before coming back to the U.S., where he now serves close to home as a sergeant at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
Watching his brothers fight for their country has given Madison an experience that he says he would not be the same without.
"It really makes you appreciate what you have," he said. "If it wasn't for them, we couldn't do the things that we want to do. It makes you say, 'yeah, we've got it good."
While Madison did not spend much time as a kid with Shawn, who was already in college when he was born, Marco is only four years older and the two spent much of their time growing up together. It is Marco who Madison says was his daily opponent on the court growing up.
"I've looked up to Marco ever since I was born," he said. "My dad would take both of us outside every day and we would play each other."
While both developed into high school players, Marco did not play sports in college, which led him on the path to the Army. Madison's pursuit to college would not have been the same had he not had his brother looking out for him.
"People that really care for you tell you what you need to hear," he said. "I would get done with AAU and high school games and people would complement my play, but Marco was always telling me what I didn't do right. He would say, 'you have to work harder than everybody else.' When I was in high school, I would get mad at that, being a kid. I didn't realize it was tough love that he was showing me. It then hit me that this is my brother. He's not going to lead me down the wrong path."
Marco's tough love gave Madison a foundation for being the man of the house during his teenage years. With his brothers gone and his mom working hard, Madison was the role model to his younger cousins, all the while texting his brothers as they regularly checked in on each other.
"They have really taught me how to persevere through anything," he said. "I've learned that nothing comes easy. Whether it be hard times or good times, it's about pushing through them."
Madison says both brothers keep in touch with him and that he expects Marco to be at a game or two this season to see him in a Pirate uniform for the first time.
After graduating from Wake Forest with a bachelor's degree and using the graduate transfer waiver to come to Seton Hall and study human resources management, Madison has had to deal with the challenging transition to life outside his home state. He says he looks to his brothers' past experiences to reassure himself that everything is going to be okay.
"They had to go to Iraq and South Korea," he said. "All I've done is move to New Jersey. They handled that challenge on top of fighting for our country. It makes me think that I can certainly handle this one."
When Madison found out that he and his team would be traveling to Hawai'i to help honor the men and women who serve their country as well as honor the memory of the lives lost in the attack on the U.S. 75 years ago, he says it immediately excited him.
"My brothers and my grandpa being servicemen makes me feel blessed to have an opportunity to do something for people who defend our country," he said. "I've watched these games before, I have always imagined how cool it would be to partake in an event like that. This is for our country. We have two big games to play, but this event is about them."
Madison's attitude about the visit to Hawai'i shows a high level of maturity that, coupled with the leadership qualities he learned from his family, have translated to his effort on the court. In his first season with the reigning BIG EAST champion Pirates, Madison has assumed the starting point guard spot.
"Being the point guard, I feel like I have to instill those leadership skills I learned as a kid into the guys around me," said Madison, who had a dynamic Seton Hall debut when he dished out a career-high 10 assists against Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 11. "I definitely think that what I learned from the rest of my family has translated into my play on the court."
Now, the floor general leads the Pirates onto the hardwood as basketball serves as the backdrop for an outstanding tribute to those who lost their lives in the Pearl Harbor attacks.
When asked what he was most looking forward to during the week in Hawai'i, Madison kept it simple.
"We get to do it for the troops."
Postgame Interview: Shaheen Holloway w/ ESPN's Zubin Mehenti, Tom Crean & Malcolm Huckaby
Thursday, November 27
HIGHLIGHTS | Seton Hall Defeats No. 23 NC State in Maui Invitational Opener
Tuesday, November 25
Seton Hall Men's Soccer: Road to NCAA 2025
Thursday, November 20
Men's Basketball Postgame - New Haven (11-13-25) | Shaheen Holloway, Stephon Payne, Tajuan Simpkins
Wednesday, November 19
