The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Powered by a furious quarter rally, Jonquel Jones and the Connecticut Sun won a series finale on the road and are headed to the WNBA Finals.

Jones posted a double double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, and the Sun defeated the defending champion Chicago Sky 72-63 last night at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

The Sun held the Sky scoreless over the final 4:46 seconds of regulation and ended the game on a 19-0 run to advance to their fourth WNBA Finals in franchise history.

Chicago’s Kahleah Copper made a jumper to give her team a 63-54 lead with just under five minutes left to play before the Suns concluded the game and series on an epic run.

Jones converted a conventional three-point play at the two-minute mark to put the Sun ahead for good - 66-63 with two minutes left to play.

She was one of five Sun players in double figures and one of two to record a double double.

DeWanna Bonner had 15 points and nine rebounds, Alyssa Thomas finished with 12 points and nine rebounds, Natisha Hiedeman scored 14 and Courtney Williams finished with 12.

Jones averaged 13 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game in the semi-finals.

She opened the series with 12 points and nine rebounds in a game one win followed by a series high 23 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in a game two loss. In game three, Jones finished with just six points on 3-10 shooting from the field with eight rebounds and two blocked shots in just 24 minutes and followed with nine points, seven rebounds and five assists facing elimination in game four.

The Sun will advance to face the Las Vegas Aces in the best-of-five WNBA Finals. The Aces will host game one, Sunday, September 8 at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tipoff is at 3pm and the game will be broadcast live on ABC.

The Aces will also host game two at 9pm on September 13 on ESPN before the series shifts to Connecticut for games three (September 15 at 9pm on ESPN) and four if necessary (September 18 at 4pm on ESPN). A fifth and deciding game would be hosted by the Aces at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 20.

Las Vegas finished with the best record in the league at 26-10 and also claimed the Commissioner’s Cup. The Sun finished the season 25-11 for the third-best record.

Las Vegas had the advantage in the regular season with wins in two of the three matchups.

Jones finished with eight points and 13 rebounds in game one, an 89-81 win for the Sun on May 22. She followed with 20 points and seven rebounds in the Aces’ 97-90 win on June 2 but was out of the lineup in game three - a 91-83 Aces win on July 17.