The addition of Jones could make Iona the best team in the NYC metro region

Momo Jones has made a decision -- the former Arizona point guard is headed to Iona.

“After taking visits to the local schools I felt a good connection with Coach [Tim] Cluess] of Iona,” Jones said in a statement sent to Adam Zagoria by his adviser, former Seton Hall and St. John’s assistant Dermon Player. “I want to thank Seton Hall, Hofstra and UMass as well as South Florida and Marquette for their interest. I want to thank my family and my adviser, coach Dermon Player for helping me in the process. I look forward to going to the Gaels and pursuing my dreams of getting my degree and basketball career. My decision was basically solely on being close to my family and still having an opportunity to showcase my skills."

Jones, who averaged 9.4 ppg as the starting point guard for the Wildcats a season ago, should be able to thrive in the MAAC where he will join a Gaels team that finished 13-5 in conference play last season before losing in the title game of the league tournament.

What will be interesting, however, is if Jones is able to get himself eligible for the upcoming season.

Transfers generally have to sit out a season, but there are waivers available that will allow a player to be eligible immediately. One of the ways to do so is if the player is transferring home to be closer to a sick family member. Jones' grandmother is ill, and seeing as the Harlem native was attending school across the country, there is a chance that Jones will be granted the waiver.

If he does get cleared, Iona will be scary good next season. They already return their top four scorers from a season ago, including Mike Glover, a former Seton Hall recruit that tore up the MAAC last season to the tune of 18.2 ppg and 10.1 rpg. The 6'7" forward known as Optimus Prime on the NYC playgrounds went for 25 and 16 against Syracuse and 21 and 17 against Richmond.

Fairfield, last year's regular season MAAC champ, also returns quite a bit of talent, headlined by star point guard Derek Needham, but if Jones is cleared, its tough not to see the Gaels being next year's favorite and quite possibly the best team in the NYC area. Think about it -- Hofstra loses Charles Jenkins, St. John's will be all freshmen, Rutgers is still a season or two away from being relevant, and Seton Hall is, well, Seton Hall.