From basketball star to heart patient and back again to the court, that's the journey a Central High School student has taken in recent months. Wednesday, Josh Jones, signed his letter of intent to play basketball for Creighton University.

It's a total reversal for the high school senior. On September 9th, Jones underwent open heart valve surgery for a bacterial infection. It shocked everyone.

"Ahhh, just a whole bunch of stuff just runs through your mind, what's going to happen to him, is he going to make it?" says mom Desiree Jones.

Josh did make it and then some. His doctor says in all his years, he's never been so impressed with a patient's speedy recovery.

"I was up walking within a day-and-a-half of me having surgery" says Josh, who has a large eight-inch scar to prove what he's been through.

"It matches my grandpa's scar," says Central basketball coach Eric Behrens.

"You know people who have had open heart surgery because of health problems later in life, very rarely do you see a scar like that on a 17-year-old kid."

Just two months after surgery, Jones is back at practice. He's almost to the level he was before the surgery.

"I'm impressed with my own self, I'm running full throttle in practice, conditioning is a little hard, everything's fine, I'm just looking forward to playing the first game," says Josh.

Recovery or not, Creighton promised to honor its offer. Josh was given a full ride to the university whether he played ball or not.

But before Josh leaves for Creighton, he says he has one more season to play at Central.

Josh plays his first game since the surgery on November 30th when the Eagles take on Millard West.