UNCASVILLE — Several hours before Tuesday night’s game against the Dallas Wings, the Connecticut Sun announced that star Jasmine Thomas, the team’s starting point guard and de facto leader for the last seven seasons, would be out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL in her right knee.
The Sun had looked like one of the most dominant teams in the WNBA up until then. But the devastating news of the injury appeared, at least on the surface, to put their hopes of finally capturing their first WNBA championship, which had narrowly slipped from their fingers in each of the last few years, at risk.
The effects of Thomas’ absence showed as the Sun went on to drop their first game since opening night, a 85-77 loss to the Wings at Mohegan Sun Arena.
“It’s tough seeing our point guard go down,” Brionna Jones said. “The leadership that she brings on the court, she keeps us together, she runs the team on the court when she’s out there. …. We just gotta figure out a way to get that same energy, same leadership — she’s bringing it on on the bench as much as she can — but we just gotta still find that groove.”
Thomas’ defensive leadership was especially missed, as Connecticut (4-2) allowed Dallas guards Marina Mabrey and Arike Ogunbowale to combine for 36 points and seven rebounds.
Alyssa Thomas, Jonquel Jones and Brionna Jones each scored 13 points for Connecticut, with Alyssa Thomas also adding nine assists and eight rebounds, and Jonquel Jones pulling down 12 rebounds. Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman each had 11 points.
Head coach and general manager Curt Miller elected to remain with a lineup featuring two ball-handling guards and keep forward Brionna Jones as his top option off the bench, replacing Jasmine Thomas with Hiedeman…
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