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UNCASVILLE — The Connecticut Solar brought the heat from the pretty starting — pretty much suitable in advance of tipoff.
To start off its 20th time anniversary celebration, the Sunshine debuted flame throwers and sparks for its starting off lineup introductions Saturday night. The heat from the flames at heart courtroom could be felt alongside the baseline as the audio of the sparks exploding previously mentioned reverberated by Mohegan Sunshine Arena.
In entrance of 5,624 lovers — like UConn women’s basketball mentor Geno Auriemma and his spouse, Kathy — the franchise employed the anniversary to honor former Huskies and Sunlight star Asjha Jones adhering to its 77-60 defeat of Los Angeles for its to start with gain of the time.
“Big earn for us tonight to defend residence courtroom in opposition to a single of the most proficient defensive teams in the league,” Solar coach and general manager Curt Miller claimed. “Really, truly happy with how we competed, the tempo that we performed at and the way we thrived off our protection in that to start with 50 percent to genuinely get out in changeover and locate methods to score against this gifted protection. … We satisfaction ourselves on creating this as complicated a position to engage in for opponents and it’s a fantastic start off to the calendar year for us.”
Jonquel Jones, the 2021 MVP, and Alyssa Thomas carried Connecticut (1-1) as a result of Saturday’s sport, combining for 39 of Connecticut’s full factors and 24 of its 45 rebounds. 30-two-calendar year-outdated WNBA rookie Yvonne Anderson produced her league debut towards the Sparks, finishing with two details, a single steal and a single rebound in 11 minutes.
Saturday was the Sun’s final match with only 9 available gamers. Courtney Williams will make her time debut Tuesday just after sitting out the initial two video games of the regular year because of a league suspension she been given in the drop. Longtime Sun veteran DeWanna Bonner returned to Connecticut this weekend after her abroad year finished. Even though she was with the group on the bench Saturday, she has nonetheless to follow because returning.
The Sparks (2-2) have been led by Jordin Canada and Nneka Ogwumike with 12 points every single. Former Huskies Katie Lou Samuelson and Olivia Nelson-Ododa have been not with the group Saturday. Samuelson remains unavailable because of to her overseas opposition, even though Nelson-Ododa has yet to make her expert typical-year debut since of an ongoing hip personal injury. The new UConn graduate stays mentioned 7 days-to-week.
After falling to New York in its period opener this previous Saturday, Connecticut started its matchup from Los Angeles in full command with a 12- run. The Sparks didn’t score their very first discipline purpose right up until nearly five minutes into the initial quarter.
Regardless of boasting 6-foot-8 Liz Cambage on its roster, LA struggled towards Connecticut’s bigs. By halftime, the Sunshine had 27 rebounds to LA’s 9 and experienced outscored the Sparks 20-8 in the paint. Jonquel Jones and Thomas led the charge as the game’s only two gamers in double-figure scoring and with extra than a few boards just about every at the intermission.
“Terrific in the very first fifty percent, both equally of them and there was an intent to enjoy by way of them,” Miller stated about Jonquel Jones and Thomas. “They established the tone. Alyssa is just that motor, ideal, that performs so tricky. Did not issue if it was the 3 or the 4 tonight, she was a true authentic variable.”
The Sunshine honored Asjha Jones pursuing the victory with a celebration to introduce her into the franchise’s Ring of Honor.
Soon after aiding lead UConn to two countrywide championships for the duration of her time in Storrs (1998-2002), Asjha Jones went on to enjoy 13 several years in the WNBA. She was traded to Connecticut immediately after initially two decades year in Washington. Right before retiring in 2015, she became a two-time All-Star and served direct Minnesota to the 2015 WNBA Championship. Asjha Jones performed 9 seasons with the Sun, as Connecticut retired her No. 15 on to its Ring of Honor banner Saturday night time.
“Some players acquire having traded distinctive ways but for me it was like coming back home,” explained Asjha Jones, who is the Portland Blazers’ Director of Basketball System & Setting up. “When I was traded I did not know what type of participant I was gonna be. I wasn’t becoming used in DC. I obtained traded in this article and mentor (Mike) Thibault, he gave me my assurance. He showed me what kind of player I could be.”
Auriemma, Jennifer Rizzotti, Marissa Mosley and two users of the Mohegan tribal council spoke about Asjha Jones’ impact on the two UConn and the Sun.
“It was like a breath of fresh air to get Asjha to occur to UConn with that specific course and she transpired to be component of in all probability the finest setting up five in the background of Connecticut basketball,” Auriemma stated.
He later included: “There’s been a lot of excellent gamers at UConn, at the Connecticut Sunshine, in the WNBA and on the Olympic staff, but there is only been a person Asjha Jones.”
Asjha Jones is the fifth previous Sunlight participant — which includes fellow former Husky Nykesha Income — to have their number retired.
Connecticut’s future activity is scheduled for Tuesday at New York (7 p.m.) ahead of internet hosting Indiana on Friday at 7 p.m.
maggie.vanoni@hearstmediact.com
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