The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE 2014-15 campaign is expected to be a breakout year for the George Washington Colonials and Bahamian forward Jonquel Jones.

In just her second season with the club, Jones has been pegged as a leader for the Colonials as one of its top returning scorers and an Atlantic-10 Preseason All-Conference and All-Defensive team selection.

In the team’s lone exhibition, Jones finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks in a 99-45 win over Virginia Union on Sunday afternoon.

The Colonials officially open the 2014-15 season 7pm November 14 when they are scheduled to visit reigning Atlantic Sun champion Florida Gulf Coast.

In her sophomore season, Jones was named Atlantic 10 All-Conference honours when she was named to the second team. She helped the Colonials finish 23-11 overall and advance to the third round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).

Jones was the only player in the Atlantic 10 to average a double-double on the season, posting team bests of 14.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.

In the offseason, Jones was a dominant force on the Bahamas’ national team which finished fifth at the Caribbean Basketball Confederation championships in July. She was the tournament’s second leading scorer when she averaged 17.2 points and led the field in rebounds with 14 per game.

As a team, the Colonials have been foreshadowed as conference contenders, picked to finish second in the Atlantic 10 by the conference’s 14 head coaches.

The Colonials tied for second in the league standings and reached the conference tournament semi-finals, their most successful season in six years.

For Jones and the Colonials, women’s NCAA basketball will take centre stage in the nation’s second city, giving Jones an opportunity to play before the home crowd, an issue she addressed at the team’s media day last week.

They will compete in the 2014 Junkanoo Jam November 27-29 in Grand Bahama, which features eight elite schools.

The Colonials will compete in the Freeport Division of the tournament, set to tip off at the St George’s Gymnasium.

It will be the Colonials’ fourth appearance at the Junkanoo Jam, the most of any Division I school in tournament history, with prior visits in 2003, 2005 and 2009. No other team has participated in more than three Junkanoo Jam tournaments (Arizona State, Florida, Kansas State, USC, Virginia).

“The Junkanoo Jam always features top-notch competition, and this year is no different with four teams that played in the NCAA Tournament,” said Colonials head coach Jonathan Tsipis on the school’s athletic website. “We look forward to this early challenge in our schedule.”