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Iowa hoops recruit Ava Jones, family celebrate life of late father

Nickerson’s Ava Jones hugs her father, Trey Jones, after winning the Class 4A girls high jump at the Kansas state high school track and field championships on May 28, 2021 in Wichita. (Billy Watson/The Hutchinson News via USA TODAY NETWORK)

Family, friends and loved ones gathered Saturday morning at Hutch First Nazarene Church in Hutchinson, Kan. to pay tribute to Trey Jones and offer words of encouragement to his daughter, Ava Jones, and her family.

More than two months removed from a crash in Louisville, Ky. that cost him his life, Trey Jones was memorialized during a service that included special tributes from friends and loved ones to comfort the family as they said goodbye. He was 42 years old.

On July 5, the family was in Louisville for Ava Jones’ AAU basketball tournament when police say a driver hit them with his car while under the influence of hydrocodone. Trey Jones died days later in a Kentucky hospital, and the three other family members involved in the accident survived. Creek Jones (Trey’s youngest son) suffered a few minor cuts and scrapes but was mostly fine, while Amy Jones (Trey’s wife) and Ava Jones spent weeks recovering at Frazier Rehabilitation Institute in Louisville before returning to their home in Nickerson, Kan. on Aug. 18.

Ava Jones is a top 100 recruit in the Class of 2023, according to ESPN, and is committed to the University of Iowa. Previously committed to Arizona State, she reopened her recruitment after a coaching change within the Sun Devils program. The family has confirmed that Iowa will honor Jones’ scholarship regardless of the circumstances.

A 6-foot-2 wing, Jones is the reigning Class 3A girls player of the year in Kansas. She is coming off a 2021-22 campaign in which she averaged 20.8 points and 15.4 rebounds per game at Nickerson, leading the Panthers to a fourth-place finish in 3A. Jones was also named the most valuable player in the Central Kansas League at the end of the season.

Outside of basketball,  Jones has also made a name for herself on the volleyball court and on the track. She was among the leaders in kills for the Nickerson volleyball team last season, and she won the 4A girls high jump two years ago as a sophomore. Jones qualified for four events at the state track meet last year, placing in the top three in two events.

As head coach of Nickerson’s track and field team, Trey Jones was remembered fondly during his memorial service for the kindness he showed to the players he coached.

“Trey is willing to jump in and do anything for anybody and had a desire to make us all better,” Nickerson High School Principal Rick Blosser said. “He loved teaching, he loved coaching and he loved the Nickerson Panthers. Rest in peace Coacher.”

In an interview last month with KAKE News, Amy Jones said the realization of being back home without her husband would likely set in after the service. She also thanked Kansans and other people across the country for the support her family had received.

Those sentiments of gratitude were echoed during the service on behalf of the family, with church leadership acknowledging first responders, law enforcement, doctors, nurses, physical therapists and many others who have made a difference in aiding the recovery of the Jones family.

“Trey was doing what he loved when he died,” Hutch First Lead Pastor Kent Pederson said. “Traveling with his family and watching one of his kids compete.”

Brad Fox, who was close friends with Trey Jones, said he was nearly moved to tears when thinking about the impact he left on his life, and Fox was sympathetic to the family during their time of grief.

“We will cherish every adventure we had with Trey,” Fox said, “and look forward to moments still to come with Amy, Creek, Hunter and Ava.”

Trey Jones’ celebration of life included a number of personal memories, and it touched on a number of achievements throughout his personal life.

All speakers were in agreement that his family was his greatest achievement.

“That was always one of Trey’s greatest joys was seeing his children succeed more than he did,” said Crag Honas, Trey’s brother-in-law.

Trent Singer is the High School Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @trentsinger.

WNBA, Players Union Spar Over CBA Negotiations at All-Star Weekend

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks to media at a 2025 press conference.
The current CBA between the WNBPA and the league expires at the end of October. (Mike Lawrence/NBAE via Getty Images)

This year's All-Star action extends beyond the court, as more than 40 players — including All-Stars, executive committee members, and WNBPA representatives — met with the WNBA in Indianapolis on Thursday for the second CBA negotiations of 2025.

"I'm encouraged. I'm just so inspired by the amount of players that showed up, the engagement that was there," WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike said after Thursday's session, which drew the largest turnout in union history.

"It was something that was very informative for me. First time being able to see and hear the wording from both sides," Chicago Sky star Angel Reese added. "I was really eager to know and understand what was going on."

With revenues booming, both players and the league are struggling to settle issues surrounding payouts, revenue sharing, and the salary caps ahead of the current CBA's October 31st expiration date.

"This business is booming — media rights, ratings, revenue, team valuations, expansion fees, attendance, and ticket sales — are all up in historic fashion," the WNBPA wrote in a statement following Thursday's meeting. "But short-changing the working women who make this business possible stalls growth. The only thing more unsustainable than the current system is pretending it can go on forever."

While CBA negotiations continue, the union indicated that players are open to a work stoppage should they fail to reach a new deal by the end of this WNBA season.

Rookies Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen Hit the 2025 WNBA All-Star Court

Washington Mystics rookie All-Stars Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen chat during a 2025 WNBA game.
Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen will play in their first WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday. (Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)

Team Clark has youth on their side this weekend, with Mystics rookie Sonia Citron gearing up to hit Saturday's 2025 WNBA All-Star court alongside Washington teammate and fellow 2025 draft pick Kiki Iriafen.

"I was not expecting this at all," Citron told WNBA legend Lisa Leslie on Between the Lines last week, referencing her surprise All-Star call-up. "I'm still in shock. I don't really think it's hit me yet."

"We're young, we've got a bunch of shooters, a little bit of everything" she said of Team Clark's lineup.

Saturday's game isn't Citron's only assignment this weekend, with the All-Star debutant also set to compete in Friday's 3-Point Contest.

The Mystics are on the rise this year, exceeding season expectations behind first-year firepower to send three players in Citron, Iriafen, and Washington's scoring leader Brittney Sykes to the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game.

Citron is currently averaging five rebounds and 14 points per game — trailing only Sykes's 17 points per game on Washington's stat sheet. Her rookie campaign has her shooting 45% from the field and 36.5% from beyond the arc.

Fellow first-year Iriafen is also impressing, leading the Mystics with 8.5 rebounds per game as well as sinking nearly 12 points per game while shooting 46% from the field.

"[The rookies] have really played a key piece in our success this season with us being so young, but also them being so adaptable," second-year forward Aaliyah Edwards told Leslie in an earlier episode. "And they're runners for Rookie of the Year, so why not only have one when you can have two? I'm just loving it."

How to attend a live taping of "Between the Lines"

Just Women's Sports is taking over Indianapolis with multi-faceted activations for the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend — including a live recording of Between the Lines with Lisa Leslie.

Featuring interviews with Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream), Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever), and Lexie Hull (Indiana Fever), the exclusive podcast taping will occur at 110 S Pennsylvania Street at 3 PM ET on Saturday.

Sabrina Ionescu, Allisha Gray Headline WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest

New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu lines up a shot during the 2023 WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest.
WNBA All-Star Sabrina Ionescu set the single-round 3-Point Contest record in 2023. (David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images)

Even with Indiana Fever sharpshooter Caitlin Clark sidelined, Friday's 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge will heat up the Indianapolis competition before Saturday's 2025 WNBA All-Star Game tips off.

Single-round record holder Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty) and reigning champion Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream) headline the 3-Point Contest, with Kelsey Plum (LA Sparks), Sonia Citron (Washington Mystics), and Clark-replacement Lexie Hull (Indiana Fever) rounding out the bill beyond the arc.

Gray will also be on hand to defend her 2024 Skills Challenge title, with Natasha Cloud (New York Liberty), Skylar Diggins (Seattle Storm), Erica Wheeler (Seattle Storm), and Courtney Williams (Minnesota Lynx) looking to upend the Dream guard.

Players are shooting for more than just bragging rights in the Friday competitions, with Aflac boosting prize money for the second year in a row.

The insurance giant will award $60,000 to the 3-point Contest winner and $55,000 to the Skills Challenge champ, topping off the league's $2,575-per-player All-Star bonus check.

With big money on the line, both Gray and Ionescu are battling to become just the second WNBA player to win multiple 3-Point Contests, following in the footsteps of retired Sky guard and four-time event champion Allie Quigley.

How to watch the All-Star 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge

The 2025 WNBA All-Star Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest will take the Indianapolis court at 8 PM ET on Friday, with both competitions airing live on ESPN.

Minnesota Lynx-Fueled Team Collier Readies for WNBA All-Star Game

Minnesota Lynx All-Stars Courtney Williams and Napheesa Collier celebrate a 2025 WNBA regular-season win.
2025 WNBA All-Star captain Napheesa Collier will play alongside her Lynx teammate, Courtney Williams. (Matt Krohn/Getty Images)

Team Collier is looking locked and loaded for Saturday's 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, with captain Napheesa Collier heading up a roster stocked with talent from the league-leading Minnesota lineup.

The Lynx star will start the game alongside 2023 MVP Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm), and rookie phenom Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings).

Team Collier's bench showcases a balanced group of Courtney Williams (Minnesota Lynx), Skylar Diggins (Seattle Storm), Angel Reese (Chicago Sky), Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix Mercury), and Kelsey Plum (LA Sparks).

Kayla McBride (Minnesota Lynx) will also join the squad, replacing the injured Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream), boosting the team's Minnesota contingent to three players.

Adding to the Lynx representatives is Minnesota manager Cheryl Reeve, who will serve as the squad's head coach following a first-of-its-kind draft-day swap between the Collier and fellow All-Star captain Caitlin Clark.

"I'm just glad people are understanding Phee's greatness," Reeve said about Collier before the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend. "There's nothing else you can say at this point."

With a steady front and backcourt presence, Team Collier has experience on their side as they take on a youth-heavy Team Clark on Saturday.

How to watch Team Collier at the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game

Team Collier and Team Clark will square off in the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis at 8:30 PM ET on Saturday.

Live coverage of the game will air on ABC.

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