Connecticut Sun’s Jonquel Jones, centre, shoots over Washington Mystics’ Kia Vaughn, left, and Ally Malott during the first half of Saturday’s WNBA game in Uncasville, Connecticut. (AP)
By RENALDO DORSETT
Sports Reporter
rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
JONQUEL Jones and the Connecticut Sun were outscored 17-9 in overtime en route to their second consecutive loss.
Jones finished with three points, three rebounds and one block in just over eight minutes of the Sun’s 84-76 loss to the Washington Mystics.
In their home debut at the Mohegan Sun Arena, the game went through 10 ties and 10 lead changes before the Mystics moved ahead for good.
Alyssa Thomas led the Sun (1-2) with 18 points. Jasmine Thomas added 13, Kelsey Bone scored 12 and Camille Little added 11.
Tayler Hill scored 24 for the Mystics, Bria Hartley scored 16 and Emma Messeman scored 14.
When the crowd at Mohegan Sun Arena last saw the Connecticut Sun the team was gasping for its breath at the end of a third straight season out of the playoffs.
Jones and her fellow first round draft picks continue to struggle for playing time early in the season.
“You don’t want them to lose confidence early in the season,” Miller said to Jim Fuller of the New Haven Register. “We truly believe it is the coaching staff’s job to put them in positions to be successful. (Thursday) was a big game for us with two of the budding teams in the league, two of the youngest teams in the league, so we were relying on some of the veterans.
“In crunch time we relied on that veteran rotation. We really believe in the rookies, believe they have a really great future but at the same time we are not going to put them in positions that they can’t be successful in or put them in positions where it could steal some of their confidence. I can’t be more pleased with their attitudes, they have worked really hard and are very talented so I am excited about it and the minutes will certainly come.”
The three picks - Jones, Morgan Tuck and Rachel Banham - played a total of 16:45 in the Sun’s lone win of the season. Banham played a total of .6 seconds in the fourth quarter, while Jonquel Jones saw a total of 15.5 seconds of playing time in the fourth quarter.
On the season Jones is averaging 4.3 points, three rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. After logging 23 minutes in the season opener, Jones logged a total of 15 minutes in the last two outings.
The Sun are scheduled to face the Los Angeles Sparks at 7pm on Thursday, May 26.
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