By Noah Christian
Monique Jones just keeps getting better.
The natural talent has always been there, as she played varsity as a freshman, but she continues to build on that talent.
The Thomas Dale senior has improved her averages every year. Jones built on her freshman averages of 11.1 points and 4.5 rebounds, putting up 14.7 points and 5.6 rebounds in her sophomore year and 16.1 points and 5.7 rebounds in her junior year. She has led the Knights in scoring for the past two seasons.
In fall workouts of her senior season, Jones suffered a serious ankle injury that kept her out for several weeks. Some weeks later, she lost her grandmother, with whom she had a strong relationship.
The star forward refused to let adversity hold her back, and she is continuing her fight to get back to her previous dominance. Monique Jones scored her 1000th point Jan. 20 in Thomas Dale’s 45-37 victory over Prince George. She will be hoping to follow that up by leading her team deep into the playoffs.
Thomas Dale coach Leon Gholson said, “She has the ability to play or guard any position on the floor. It comes naturally to her, and when she goes off to college and coaches have more time to work with her, the sky is the limit for her. She rarely misses a workout and is committed to getting better everyday.”
Jones has received interest from a number of Division I schools, including Hampton University, Jacksonville State, and Norfolk State, along with some Division II schools, like Converse University, Lees-McRae, Barton College, Clark Atlanta University, and Bluefield State. As her senior season progresses, she hopes to add to that already impressive list.
There is no telling just how good Monique Jones will be when it’s all said and done. She has all the intangibles needed to become a truly great basketball player.
