MOUNT VERNON - Practice ended at around 7:30 on Tuesday night, and most of the Mount Vernon players had dressed and left minutes after.

Yet there was Kevin Jones an hour later, still shooting jumpers and laughing with coaches, looking calm and collected, not like somebody on the verge of the biggest decision of his life.

It was a sign of confidence that Jones, who after months of intense recruitment, was comfortable with his decision.

Jones finally announced his plans during a ceremony at Mount Vernon High School yesterday, choosing West Virginia University out of seven major Division I schools.

"It's definitely a relief to have it over with," said Jones, a 6-foot-8 senior forward. "I made my decision yesterday and wanted to sleep on it last night. When I woke up, I knew West Virginia was where I wanted to be."

Jones, a Journal News first-team all-star last season, signed his National Letter of Intent during yesterday's ceremony, which was attended by Mount Vernon Mayor-elect Clinton Young, state senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, a Mount Vernon native, and former Mount Vernon basketball great Lowes Moore, who played at West Virginia.

"If Kevin was at all nervous with this process, he hid it extremely well," Knights head coach Bob Cimmino said. "He keeps to himself and is as low maintenance a kid as he could possibly be. He always looked calm, almost like he was shooting a game-winning 3-pointer."

Jones had scholarship offers from nearly two dozen colleges, but narrowed his choices before the summer to West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Indiana, UMass, Ohio State, Rutgers, Seton Hall, and St. John's.

He visited each and had three National Letters of Intent at yesterday's ceremony - from West Virginia, Indiana and Pittsburgh. But he didn't put on a show, announcing his plans as he reached the podium.

"Kevin told me last week that he was thinking about West Virginia," said Mount Vernon forward Naseer Robinson, one of Jones' closest friends. "I told him he should take his time and make sure he was ready. But I could just tell that's where he really wanted to go."

Jones became a highly coveted recruit after a breakout junior season for the Knights. He averaged 21.0 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, guiding Mount Vernon to its seventh Section 1 title in eight seasons, and second straight Class AA state championship.

His game blossomed throughout the year, especially from the perimeter as he hit 39 3-pointers, highlighted by his game winner in the closing seconds of Mount Vernon's dramatic 58-56 comeback over Newburgh (Section 9) in the state tournament.

West Virginia was aggressive in its recruitment of Jones. Coach Bob Huggins visited Mount Vernon last month, spending an afternoon in Cimmino's classroom and watching an open gym session.

Jones will be part of a strong recruitment class for West Virginia, joining St Raymond's point guard Darryl Bryant, and 6-foot-10 center Roscoe Davis of Chatham, Va.

"I think West Virginia is a school where I can go in and help right away," Jones said. "But I'm not really thinking that far ahead. I'm thinking now about getting Mount Vernon back to the state championship and winning another Federation championship."