The Tribune

IN strengthening her bid for the Women’s National Basketball Association’s Most Valuable Player, Connecticut Sun forward Jonquel Jones was named the WNBA’s top rebounder for the 2021 season.

It is the third time she has received the league’s peak performer award for rebounding.

The 27-year-old Jones also earned three Kia Player of the Month awards (May, August and September), four Eastern Conference Player of the Year awards and an all-star nod.

The Grand Bahama native averaged 11.2 rebounds per game – about .7 shy from her career-best of 11.9 rebounds per game in 2017. She grabbed 303 rebounds for the season, which helped push her into fifth all-time Connecticut Sun history. Jones has grabbed 1,350 total rebounds over her five-year career. Also on Monday, the league announced that Jones received another Kia WNBA Player of the Month Award for posting outstanding numbers in September.

Over a five-game stretch, she averaged 15.4 points per game, 12.0 rebounds per game, 3.0 assists per game and 2.0 blocks per game. In four out of five contests, she secured a double-double, finishing the regular season with 18 in total.

Meanwhile, coach Curt Miller earned back-to-back WNBA Coach of the Month Awards following a 5-0 record for the month of September. It is his third Coach of the Month recognition during his tenure with the Sun.Connecticut concluded the regular season at No.1 with a 14-game winning streak. They finished 26-6 overall and 15-1 at home. The Sun will play next for Game 1 and Game 2 of the WNBA Semifinals September 28 and 30. Both games will be played at home at Mohegan Sun Arena.