Pearl: ‘You can't sleep on Denver’

AUBURN | Auburn’s point guard position underwent a transformation in the offseason.

Tre Donaldson transferred to Michigan and Aden Holloway to Alabama. The Tigers brought in Furman transfer JP Pegues and are counting on Denver Jones to split his time at point and wing.

Auburn officially opened fall practice Wednesday but Bruce Pearl has been pleased with what he’s seen out of Jones during offseason workouts.

"You can't sleep on Denver, he's getting downhill scoring. He has been our most consistent defensive guard from a standpoint of pretty much bringing it every day,” said AU coach Bruce Pearl.

Led by Jones, the play of Auburn's defense has been a highlight of workouts and pickup games during the summer and early fall.

"I'll tell you, the one thing I would say is practices are difficult," said Pearl. "We're hard to score on in practice. We are. We've got great size at the rim, we've got great athleticism, it's tough to finish around the rim against us.

"We've got to continue to defend without fouling, we've got to continue to be physical without fouling. Fouling are errors, and we're trying to do that."

Jones, a senior, played in a few games at point guard last season after an injury to Holloway, but will be counted on for regular minutes at point this year.

Pearl will look to freshman Tahaad Pettiford to be the No. 3 point guard this season along with playing the wing with Jones and Georgia Tech transfer Miles Kelly.

“We've always played two point guards,” said Pearl. “If you don't have that third guy in the rotation and one of those guys gets hurt, what do you do? It definitely helps as far as our depth is concerned.

“I think as far as the competition, those guys are all so competitive that I don't necessarily think that it's helping them all show up every day to practice because those three guys are going to show up every day.”

Auburn opens the season Nov. 6 against Vermont at Neville Arena.