The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

JONQUEL Jones’ initial season as a member of the George Washington Colonials women’s basketball programme came up short in their championship bid in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament this weekend.

The Colonials fell in the quarterfinals of the WNIT, 74-59 to the University of Central Florida at the Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida, on Thursday.

Jones finished with 15 points, nine rebounds three steals and two blocks in the season finale.

The Colonials rallied in the second half and trimmed the deficit to just six points with just over four minutes left to play, but the Knights were able to pull away down the stretch to earn a berth to the semifinals.

Nursing a 13-10 lead with 9:39 left to play in the first half before the Knights ended on a 19-5 run to take a 35-19 lead at the half.

George Washington was on the comeback trail to open the second half led by Jones and Ciara Washington, who scored the first 11 points of the period.

The Colonials concluded its season at 23-11. It marked a nine-win improvement from its 2012-13 season when they finished 14-16.

It was also an historic season for the team in the postseason as they won their first postseason tournament games since the 2008 season.

Jones was one of four Colonials to earn Atlantic 10 all-conference honours when she was named to the second team.

In her GW debut, Jones scored the first eight points of the game for the Colonials and finished with a double double -– a then career high 17 points and 10 rebounds in a 80-54 win over the North Carolina A & T Aggies. She led the Colonials in scoring eight times, including a career high 30 in an 82-79 overtime win against St Joseph’s earlier this month.

Her rebounding career high of 17 came in an 89-76 win over UMass in January.

Jones was a highly touted recruit out of Riverdale Baptist in Maryland and originally committed to Clemson before she transferred after just eight games. Heading into her freshman year at Clemson, expectations were high as Jones was named to the ACC Pre-season Newcomer Watch List by both the ACC head coaches.

In her eight-game career with the Tigers in the 2012-2013 season, the 6’4” Jones averaged 9.8 points, 10 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.She posted four double doubles and ranked fourth in the ACC in both rebounds and blocked shots at the time of her departure.

She shot 48 per cent from the field and in her final game with the Tigers, posted career highs of 17 points and 14 rebounds at South Carolina State.Jones was ranked by “ESPN Hoop Gurlz” at No 17 in the country among high school seniors when she led Riverdale to the top ranking in the state and 35-2 record overall.

She averaged 15.7 points and 15.6 rebounds and was named Gatorade Maryland Player of the Year and Washington Post All-Met Player of the Year. She was also named to the 2012 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association High School All-America Game presented by Nike and was a McDonald’s All-America nominee.