The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Jonquel Jones’ double double streak recently came to an end but she remains the frontrunner to claim another MVP award this season.

The UMMC Ekaterinburg Foxes centre is atop the standings as FIBA produced the third installment of MVP Ladder of the EuroLeague Women regular season.

Jones is averaging 16.7 points, nine rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game. She currently has the best efficiency rating among all players at 22.5.

Kayla McBride is currently ranked second followed by Kahleah Copper, Jones’ Connecticut Sun teammate Alyssa Thomas and Sandrine Gruda.

Jones scored just five points in 16 minutes of a win over TTT Riga but the Foxes remain undefeated at 8-0. In the previous game, she finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds in a December 1 win over Avenida. She had 17 points and 14 rebounds in an 84-63 win over MBA Moscow, 17 points and 10 rebounds in an 82-67 win over KSC Szekszard and 15 points and 10 rebounds in a 75-72 win over USK.

Last season, Jones averaged 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in EuroLeague play. She also shot 74 percent from the field and a league-leading 62 percent (8-13) on three-point field goals.

UMMC is favoured to repeat as EuroLeague champions for the seventh consecutive year, boasts a roster that also includes Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury), Breanna Stewart (Seattle Storm), Allie Quigley (Chicago Sky) and Courtney Vandersloot (Chicago Sky). The reigning WNBA MVP continues her momentum on the international level following a dominant performance for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2023 Qualifiers.

Jones finished with 30 points and 17 rebounds in an 80-64 win over North Macedonia and a career high 44 points and 22 rebounds in her team’s 87-81 win over Belgium.