The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

JONQUEL Jones and her UMMC Ekaterinburg Foxes won their second title in as many weeks on the European basketball circuit.

UMMC completed an undefeated season in the Russian Premier League with a three-game sweep over Dynamo Kursk in the finale Tuesday night.

They became the champion of Russia for the 15th time in club history, and for the 13th consecutive season. The Foxes’ season of milestones also included the RFB Super Cup and the FIBA Women’s Euroleague title.

Jones averaged 19.7 points and 10.6 rebounds through 10 Russian Premier League games this season. She posted five double doubles in those 10 appearances. In her season debut, she led the team with 35 points and 13 rebounds in an 84-72 win over Nika Syktykar.

Jones, the Connecticut Sun star, opted out of the shortened WNBA season amid COVID-19 pandemic concerns and went on to have a successful season in Europe which included three titles.

The 2021 WNBA season tips off on May 13. The Sun are currently in training camp and will officially begin their season on the road when they face the Atlanta Dream on May 14.

Jones and many of the Sun’s veterans are set to return to camp after fulfilling their overseas commitments to their respective clubs.

The Sun will have a closed scrimmage against the New York Liberty on May 3.

“We’ll have more people that are familiar with our system, our style of play and the terminology,” Sun head coach and general manager Curt Miller said to the Hartford Courant. “There’ll be more voices. There’ll be more demonstrations from the veterans. You can see them go through drills, go through our system offensively and defensively, so not only are [the younger players] being coached by the coaches, but they’re being coached by the veterans.”

The Sun will make their home debut at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut on May 16 in a matchup with the Phoenix Mercury. It will mark the Sun’s first game in their home area since the 2019 WNBA Finals.

The Sun schedule will include 32 games - 16 on the road and 16 at Mohegan Sun Arena which features a month-long break between mid-July and mid-August while players will participate in the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

In the 2019 WNBA season, Jones was named to the All-WNBA Second Team, the All-Defensive Team and an All-Star for the second time.

The Sun advanced to the Eastern Conference final before they were eliminated by the Las Vegas Aces.

She signed a multi-year contract with the Sun in February as the league’s free agency period commenced.