LUMBERTON — When the 2023-24 season began, the Lumberton boys basketball team didn’t include the young man that would change everything for the Pirates.

After three games, a new transfer came into the fold; 19 wins later, the team achieved more than practically anyone expected.

Leading the Pirates to a strong season, Dimetrious Jones has been named Robeson County Player of the Year.

“He came in at the right time,” Lumberton coach Bryant Edwards said. “We were 0-3 and struggling to score the basketball; we were averaging less than 35 points per game those first three games and just struggling to put the ball in the basket. He came in and supplied that scoring we needed. He was consistent throughout his 19 games with us and played a big part for us.”

Dimetrious Jones, often called D.J., came to the Lumberton program from Freedom Christian Academy in Fayetteville; he joined his younger brother Amare, a sophomore who was named Robeson County Underclassman of the Year, on the Pirates team. Dimetrious Jones returned to Lumberton after playing in the Pirates’ JV program in ninth grade and playing middle-school ball at Lumberton Junior High previously.

“The transition really wasn’t a bad transition,” Dimetrious Jones said. “It actually worked out for the better and I’m actually glad I transferred.”

Dimetrious Jones scored 19.8 points per game, with 5.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and over three steals per contest.

“He was the spark we needed,” Edwards said. “He produced on the offensive side of the ball and the defensive side of the ball. The holes we needed were definitely filled by him. We were 19-7 with him, 0-3 without him. You can’t ask much more for a guy that’s never been part of the program and came in cold turkey.”

Dimetrious Jones scored 13 points or more in every game he played this season, hitting 25 or more on four occasions with a season high of 30 on Dec. 29 against West Bladen.

Lumberton lost twice to Fairmont and once to Scotland in the games before Dimetrious Jones joined the team; the Pirates promptly won five of their next six after his team debut, and the team ultimately finished second in the United-8 Conference and reached the second round of the 4A state playoffs.

“I would say there was a major difference,” Dimetrious Jones said. “I feel like we all gave each other confidence, and we got a feel for each other and stuff like that.”

Joining Amare Jones was an added bonus, too, for both brothers.

“That was an amazing experience, playing with him for one last time,” Dimetrious Jones said.

“He hadn’t played with him in a long time so he was excited about,” Edwards said. “He definitely helped Amare out with his shotmaking and shot creating, so I think they played well together and I was glad to give them that one year to play together in high school.”

Dimetrious Jones’ recognition marks the fifth-straight year a Lumberton guard has been named as Robeson County’s best by The Robesonian; he joins 2020 county Player of the Year Jordan McNeill, 2021 honoree Charlie Miller and J.B. Brockington, who won in both 2022 and 2023.

“It feels good to know that I can be one of those guys, people to win this award,” Dimetrious Jones said.

“(It’s) just the consistency we’ve had with the talent — that’s one thing, when I walked in the door, I was like, man, I don’t know how Lumberton has lost consistently, because there’s talent,” Edwards said. “This was supposed to be a down year and we won 19 games. The ability that these kids have — him along with many others — but for a down year I thought 19 wins wasn’t too bad.”

Dimetrious Jones is now evaluating his next-level options, though the process isn’t easy; Edwards says that with the transfer portal currently open at the collegiate level, it’s become harder for high school players to get opportunities.

“He’s also a really good student so it’s not grades,” Edwards said. “High school kids right now are taking a back burner to the portal, the portal is open. There’s a lot of junior colleges talking to him and a lot of post-grad teams talking to him.”