The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

JONQUEL Jones finally made her way back to Connecticut in time for the Sun's WNBA regular-season opener and the All-Star forward showed flashes of brilliance in her season debut, despite limited minutes.

Jones finished with seven points, five rebounds, three steals, two blocked shots in the Sun's 101-65 win over the Las Vegas Aces Sunday afternoon at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Every Sun player scored as Connecticut piled up 27 assists on 37 made field goals. The Sun were also 11-21 (52.4 per cent) from three-point range. Las Vegas had an early 14-4 lead thanks to a 14-2 run 3:40 of the game, but the Sun closed out the quarter on a 21-7 run and led 25-21 after the first quarter. The Sun continued to roll in the second quarter, building its lead to 44-28 with 2:51 remaining in the half. Las Vegas never got closer than 10 the rest of the day. The Sun return to the court Thursday at 7pm, hosting the Los Angeles Sparks at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Jones was a late addition to the team this season after awaiting paperwork at home and reported to the Sun just one day before the regular season tipped off.

Prior to the game, Jones discussed her brief preparation with Arielle Chambers of Ballerzworld.com.

"The first thing I did was I had to go and get a physical, I had to make sure I had everything right so I can go ahead and play. That was the main thing. [I was] looking forward to getting on the floor with everybody, it's been a while, we all went to different places overseas, but our team is as strong as it's ever been. I'm just excited to play with them and see what the season has in store for us," she said.

"[This season] I think I'm being more confident in everything I do on the basketball court, just trusting in my teammates more, our chemistry is one of the best in the league I think and I think just maintaining consistency. I think just understanding what we are as a team, who we are, our identity, always playing with a chip on our shoulder, whether it's last year when people didn't expect us to do anything or it's this year where we have a target on our backs, so I think having that mindset is going to be a difference maker this season."

WNBA.com posed questions to the league's general managers to learn what the people who make the decisions think on a variety of topics.

Jones was voted as the league's top rebounder and received a whopping 58 per cent on the poll ahead of Tina Charles at 25 per cent.

Her record-setting total was 403 rebounds for the season. She also added 20 double doubles.

Jones' historic season included several individual milestones, including becoming just the second player in league history to record three 20-rebound games in a single season.

The Sun finished the regular season with a record of 21-13, second in the Eastern Conference. They lost to the Phoenix Mercury in the second round of the playoffs. The Sun were also projected to be successful in the WNBA Insider poll as the team likely to have the most wins in the Eastern Conference and tied for third in projections to win the WNBA Finals. They were also voted as the "Most Fun Team to Watch."

"I was happy to make it before the season started so I'm feeling good," Jones said to Jim Fuller of the New Haven Register.

"The good thing about is the system is the same our coaches are the same so for the most part I'm adjusting quickly. I know the plays, they were getting them to me while I was in the Bahamas so I had time to look over them and really take my time to look over them so I feel good. I worked out, I had a few coaches that I would work it so I got to work with them. Did a lot of footwork stuff, got my shots up so everything's good."