The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AS the Connecticut Sun closed out the first half of the Women’s National Basketball Association regular season yesterday, centre Jonquel Jones poured in another double double in a 70-63 victory over the New York Liberty.

Jones, who is now preparing for her first start in the WNBA AT&T All-Star game this weekend, finished with 12 points, shooting 5-for-12 from field-goal range and 2-for-6 from behind the three-point line. However, she didn’t make it to the free-throw line for a charity shot.

Jones also added 10 rebounds with three assists, two steals and as many block shots in 31 minutes in her starting role.

It was the fourth straight win for Connecticut, who remained on top of the Eastern Conference with a 12-6 win-loss record, just a half-game behind the Las Vegas Aces, who lead the Western Conference at 13-6.

The Sun will not be back in action until Tuesday when they play Chicago Sky at 7pm.

This weekend, the WNBA will switch its attention to the AT&T All-Star game that will be televised live on ABC at 3:30pm from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas between teams led by the Washington Mystics’ Elena Delle Donne and the Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson.

Jones, making her All-Star debut, was selected as the fifth pick overall and the third on Team Delle Donne. She will also along with Delle Donne, Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury, Jewell Loyd of the Seattle Storm and Kia Nurse from the New York Liberty.

Their reserves are DeWanna Bonner from the Phoenix Mercury; Tina Charles from the New York Liberty; nneka Ogwumike from the Los Angeles Sparks, Alyssa Thomas from the Connecticut Sun; Kristi Toliver from the Washington Mystics and Courtney Vandersloot from the Chicago Sky.

They will be coached by Mike Thinault.

Team Wilson starters, who will play without the injured Wilson, are Liz Cambage from the Las Vegas Aces; Chelsea Gray from the Los Angeles Sparks; Natasha Howard from the Seattle Storm; Kayla McBride from the Los Vegas Aces and Napheesa Collier from the Minnesota Lynz. Collier is preplacing Wilson.

Their reserves are Diamond DeShields from the Chicago Sky; Candice Dupree from the Indiana Fever; Sylvia Fowles from the Minnesota Lynx; Allie Quigley from the Chicago Sky; Odyssey Sims from the Minnesota Lynx and Erica Wheeler from the Indiana Fever.

Bill Laimbeer is the head coach.