The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

On a night where Jonquel Jones was awarded her fourth All-WNBA selection, her Connecticut Sun staved off elimination in game three of the WNBA Finals.

Jones finished with 20 points, five rebounds and four assists in the Sun’s 105-76 win over the Las Vegas Aces last night at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

She shot 8-12 from the field and made her only three-point attempt. Jones’ teammate, Alyssa Thomas recorded the first triple-double in WNBA Finals history with 14 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

The Sun are now 4-0 in elimination games in the playoffs so far this postseason.

The Aces raced out to an early 12-4 lead, but the Sun responded with one of their most dominant stretches of the postseason. They eventually outscored the Aces 34-19 at the end of the first quarter and took control for good. They maintained a double figure lead at the half, 53-42, and took a 77-69 lead headed into the fourth.

Connecticut’s all-time postseason record is now above .500 at 37-36. Sun head coach Curt Miller’s WNBA Finals Record is now 3-5. The best-of-five series continues in Connecticut for game four, September 18 at 4pm, broadcast live on ESPN.

A fifth and deciding game, if necessary, will be hosted by the Aces at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 20.

Jones had 15 points and nine rebounds in a game one 67-64 loss followed by 16 points and 11 rebounds in an 85-71 loss in game two.

Prior to the game, Jones was named an All-WNBA Second Team selection. She received 12 first team votes and 22 second team votes for a score of 126.

The 2022 All-WNBA Second Team also includes Jones’ teammate Alyssa Thomas (175 points), New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (168), Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike (141), and Minnesota Lynx center Sylvia Fowles (65).

Voting for the All-WNBA Team was conducted at the conclusion of the regular season.

For the first time, players were selected without regard for position.

Players received five points for each First Team vote and three points for each Second Team vote.

Jones led the Sun in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots with averages of 14.6 points (17th in WNBA), 8.6 rebounds (fourth) and 1.15 blocks (seventh).

The 6-6 Jones was selected to the WNBA All-Defensive Team for the third time. The All-WNBA First Team included the Aces’ A’ja Wilson (280 points), Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart (280), Aces guard Kelsey Plum (265), Phoenix Mercury guard Skylar Diggins-Smith (183) and Chicago Sky center-forward Candace Parker (183).

Each member of the All- WNBA First Team will receive $10,300 and each member of the Second Team will receive $5,150.