The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune SPorts Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

JONQUEL Jones and her UMMC Ekaterinburg Foxes returned to Russian Premier League play and continued their dominance after an undefeated run in the first round of the FIBA EuroLeague group stage.

Now paired with reigning WNBA Finals MVP Breanna Stewart, Jones finished with 15 points and eight rebounds in an 82-49 win over Nadezhda from Orenburg at DIVS arena in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Stewart finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Jones is averaging 19.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game in Russian Premier League play as the Foxes improved to 8-0 on the season. Ekaterinburg finished EuroLeague Group C first round play at 3-0 after last week’s competition in the FIBA designated bubble in Girona, Spain. “It was not easy to walk through this hard week, while staying all time in the hotel. In spite of it, we had three excellent games and I am happy and proud of my players who did a great job,” said UMMC head coach Miguel Mendez.

UMMC finished the EuroLeague first group round and coasted its way to a perfect record at 3-0 with wins over Beretta Familia Schio, Spar Girona and TTTRiga.

The second EuroLeague group round hub matches will be played on January 19 - 22.

Last season, Jones’ first with the club, Ekaterinburg captured their second consecutive and fifth EuroLeague title with a 91-67 win over Dynamo Kursk in Sopron, Hungary. She appeared in eight games averaging 19.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.