Q&A With Pendleton Heights Senior Olivia Jones

 

Among the overlooked talents in Indy's Northeast suburbs, Jones has received college offers from DIII DePauw, Hope College, among others, including multiple NAIA offers. The 5'9" senior wing flashed quite the all-around game last season in 2024-25 with averages of 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.2 steals per game while also making 38 percent of her three-pointers as a junior (21/56), leaving every reason to believe that the best is yet to come...  

What is your favorite movie?

Olivia: "Ooo that's tough, I have a lot of favorites depending on my mood. I like to rewatch the Sandlot every summer because it's a classic and I love baseball! I also love the Titanic because I feel like it never gets old."

What is your favorite food?

Olivia: "By far I'd say tacos, I usually go for beef and add cheese and lots of hot sauce."

Who is your favorite athlete?

Olivia: "My favorite athlete is Stephen Curry. I think he's one of the greatest basketball players (not just shooters) of all time. I also think his story of going to a mid-major college and getting that experience to help him succeed in the NBA is really inspiring. He's definitely someone I try to mimick when I play by constantly moving and making it harder for the other team to guard."

What was your proudest moment as a basketball player to this point?

Olivia: "A more recent moment that I'm super proud of would be winning sectionals with my high school team last year. We were the 7th team to do it and first and the first in 14 years, so it was a really big accomplishment not only for our program but our school. I was really grateful to be a part of it and play a large role!"

Where do you foresee yourself in five years' time?

Olivia: "In five years I imagine I will be graduating college with some sort of business degree (although I am not completely decided), and starting a job and will set me up for a good future. I hope that in five years from now I have plans in motion for the next five years after that and am working to achieve them."

Do you have any specific goals you'd like to accomplish between now and this time next year?

Olivia: "By this time next year I hope to be committed to a university and preparing to start my freshman year of college. Until then, I'd like to have another amazing basketball season by winning another sectional title. I'd also like to graduate high school with the highest academic degree that I can while still having a fun senior year."

If you could go anywhere for a seven-day vacation, where would it be?

Olivia: "My favorite vacations are cruises with my entire family. We've done one before and have another one booked for next year, so that'd be my pick! As far as stops, I'd love to visit Bermuda, Costa Rica, or Bora Bora. Any tropical place would be just fine with me!"

Who or what would you say is your greatest inspiration?

Olivia: "My greatest inspiration is my brother. He's only four years older than me, but he has accomplished so many amazing things at such a young age that many people dream of doing. He wants to be the best at everything, which was definitely annoying as kids, but now it's something I really admire about him. He loves helping people and has volunteered so much of his time doing that and has taught me many lessons that I value every day."

How would you best describe your strengths on the basketball court?

Olivia: "I think my strengths in basketball is my determination on defense and rebounding, which are both things I enjoy that help win games. I take a lot of pride in guarding top players and also contributing on offense by knocking down perimeter shots. This year especially being a senior I want to do my best to be a leader vocally but also leading by example."

Outside of basketball, what is your favorite downtime activity?

Olivia: "I really enjoy getting outside in the pool in the summer and spending a lot of time with my friends. Most of my time not playing or working out for basketball, I'm doing something with my friends like bonfires, shopping, movies, or just going to grab food. It's really nice, too, because we play a lot of different sports, so we can collectively take some down time from training and being with our teams."

What would you say for any potential outsider visiting your beloved hometown of Pendleton, Indiana?

Olivia: "One thing about Pendleton that I love is that everyone is involved, whether it's in the local churches, helping at the school, and especially supporting our sports teams. We're really lucky to have so many people attend not just girls basketball games but every sport across the board. And because everyone is so involved, there are connections everywhere and if you need help with anything, you can find someone that knows how to help."

Any random fact you would like to share about yourself?

Olivia: "Honestly, I always struggle to answer this question when someone asks, but I'll say my dream place to live is Nashville, TN because I love country music, I love the lakes, and everytime I visit it's been the best!