The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

Grand Bahama native Jonquel “JJ” Jones is The Tribune Sports’ Player of the Month for October.

The newest Tribune Sports Section segment will recognise the brilliant performances of athletes (male and female) across all sporting disciplines for each month.

Jones has demonstrated her dominance in the month of October for the New York Liberty in her second consecutive return to the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Finals.

Despite an unceremonious end to the New York Liberty’s postseason run, Jones put up some big numbers throughout October.

In her last five ball games, all played this month, she put up three consecutive monster double-doubles.

Her three-game streak of double-doubles in October was a continuation of a postseason record of eight consecutive double-double games which began at the beginning of the playoffs.

The month of October saw the 6-foot-6 forward play a pivotal role in closing out her former team, the Connecticut Sun, in a 3-1 series win.

Jones posted a dominant 25 points, 15 boards and four blocks against the Liberty’s semifinals opponent. She followed this performance up with 16 points and 10 rebounds in game one of her return to the WNBA Finals against the Las Vegas Aces.

The Grand Bahama native kept her individual momentum going in game two where she once again put up a 20-point double-double. She filled the stat sheet with 22 points and 10 rebounds. On the defensive end, she was a force to be reckoned with by stopping four attempted shots.

Although her WNBA postseason streak came to an end in game three against the Aces, she single-handedly kept the Liberty’s season alive in the elimination game.

With the Aces up 2-0 in the series and looking to complete the sweep, the Liberty forward answered the call and powered her way to a team-high 27 points in the team’s lone win of the WNBA Finals.

Game three saw Jones put on her most impressive offensive performance in that five-game stretch. She shot an efficient 10-for-15 from the field for 66 per cent shooting.

Meanwhile, from behind the arc, she connected on four of her seven attempts for 57 per cent. Despite coming up short in the rebound category, she managed to pull down eight rebounds. Additionally, she dished out three dimes, stole the ball twice and altered three shots.

The former WNBA MVP finished the month of October leading the Liberty in scoring with 18.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and three blocks per game.

She shot a crisp 56.7 per cent from the field and 41.2 per cent from three to wrap up the final month of the WNBA playoffs.

• Stay tuned for November’s Tribune Player of the Month.