Berkeley's Antonio Campbell pulls up to pass around Memphis Mitchell's Eric Buggs in a Midwest Showdown Shootout game Saturday at UMSL. (Photo by Don Adams Jr.)

NORMANDY — When things get rough for his Berkeley players, coach Gerald Jones rolls up his slacks, showcasing the white socks that cover his calves.

At those times, he sits hunched over on the bench, imploring his players to improve.

"It's a coach's thing," he said. "I pull my pants up when I'm in tight situations."

With four returning starters, Jones has not been in many of those situations so far. But Saturday afternoon, in the third quarter of his team's Midwest Showdown Shootout game at UMSL against Memphis Mitchell, he hiked his pants and showed his socks.

"It looks like he's stressed out," senior guard Antonio Campbell said. "It looks like we're going to run hard in practice."

Indeed, Jones did not like how things were going, but the Bulldogs quickly recovered, and they won 69-63. Afterward, Jones was in good spirits, promising his players they could take Sunday off.

They probably deserve it. Berkeley, first in the Post-Dispatch small-schools rankings, won its third game in three days.

"They're kids," Jones said. "Kids don't get tired. Their coaches do. They love to play."

The expectations have been high so far for Berkeley (7-0), but the team has thus far been able to reach them. Its closest game was Thursday against University City: The Bulldogs won 60-57.

The returners — Doug Wallace, Reggie Spears, Abel Tillman and Campbell — have been as good as advertised. Campbell was particularly effective Saturday, scoring 19 points on six-of-nine shooting.

"This was the best I've seen the older kids play," Jones said.

Tillman, a 6-foot-7 senior forward, was in foul trouble for much of the game, but his teammates picked up the slack. Wallace added 18 points and Spears had 14.

Much was expected from those four returners, but it has been the play of sophomore guard Gerald Jones Jr. — 'Gee' to his teammates — that has been a welcomed surprise. Jones, the coach's son, has averaged a steady 8.4 points per game. He had five points and eight rebounds Saturday.

The mood in the Bulldogs' postgame locker room was subdued. Jones Sr. said he doesn't expect his players to get too excited after any victory because they envision success as a state championship.

Last season, Berkeley lost a Class 4 sectional to Westminster.

"It's not over until we're in Columbia at the end of the year," Jones Sr. said. "That's our mission."

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