Sun escape with win over Sparks behind Jones’ big night
UNCASVILLE — The Connecticut Sun players and team personnel arrived at Mohegan Sun Thursday evening ahead of the Sun’s matchup against the Los Angeles Sparks sporting “Brionna Jones for Most Improved Player” T-shirts.
Down the stretch of the game, with the Sparks threatening to hand the Sun just their second home loss of the summer, the fourth-year center made sure that her teammates’ campaign efforts weren’t in vain.
Behind Jones’ 17-point second half, the Sun overcame a ninepoint third-quarter deficit and L.A.’S trademark physicality to take the first of a two-game series against the visiting Sparks, 76-72.
“Breezy was huge for us tonight,” head coach Curt Miller said. “We don’t win that game without her.”
Brionna Jones led all scorers with 23 points overall, while Jonquel Jones added 22 despite dealing with foul trouble much of the game. Nia Coffey’s 18 points were a team-high for the Sparks.
The Sun got going in the first, jumping ahead 20-10 and later by 12 in the second as they owned the paint and the glass. L.A.’S Nneka Ogwumike sat with two fouls with three minutes left in the first, but even with her out the Sparks burst ahead in the second quarter, which they started with an 18-7 run to take the lead.
Connecticut went into the half down 39-36, having allowed 29 points in the second. L.A.’S physicality made it more difficult for them to establish the paint, and the team otherwise struggled to
knock down their shots, going 3-for-15 from the field that frame.
In a back-and-forth third, the Sun allowed 11 unanswered points to trail by nine, their largest deficit of the game, before tying it back up. Connecticut then used a 9-0 run to close the fourth, with all the scoring from the Joneses, to snag a 59-55 advantage going into the fourth.
A Dewanna Bonner jumper and two free throws each from Brionna and Jonquel put the Sun ahead by eight with 1:31 to play. Kristi Toliver and Erica Wheeler then chipped away at the deficit to make it a two-point game with 29.3 seconds on the clock. Jonquel Jones’ basket at the 13.1 second mark, and her defensive rebound on the Sparks’ final offensive possession, ultimately sealed the win.
The teams will meet again Saturday at 7 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena to conclude the back-to-back weekend series.