USA - Asjha Jones shines, still hopes for Olympic call

ISTANBUL (Olympics) - Asjha Jones has yet to realize her dream of representing the United States at the Olympics and her chances of doing so faded last week when she was not among the 11 players named for the London Games.

One spot has yet to be filled and Jones is a strong candidate, but competition for that place is fierce.

The veteran power forward/center, who played on the United States’ World Championship-winning side two years ago, reminded USA Basketball of what she could bring to the table over the weekend at the EuroLeague Women Final Eight in Istanbul.

She hit big shot after big shot, and grabbed big rebound after big rebound as Rivas Ecopolis went on a stunning run to the Final before falling to big favorites Ros Casares.

Jones was named MVP of the Final Eight.

That was quite honor when considering the world-class talent on display that included past USA Olympians Diana Taurasi (Galatasaray), Sue Bird and Candace Parker (both UMMC Ekaterinburg, Seimone Augustus (Sparta&K Moscow Region) and 2012 selections Maya Moore (Ros Casares) and Angel McCoughtry.

There were Australian greats Lauren Jackson (Ros Casares) and Penny Taylor (Fenerbahce), and prominent Russians Maria Stepanova and Svetlana Abrosimova (both UMMC) and Becky Hammon (Sparta&K).

There were terrific players all over the place, but Jones was better than them all.

No one knew it at the time, but Jones had already been told that on Friday, she wasn’t going to be among the 11 confirmed players for USA Olympic squad.

"I knew ahead of time that I wasn't going to be a part of that," Jones said to FIBA.com.

"Before the announcement, they (USA Basketball) did a good job of not shocking you. So, they told me ahead of time, maybe a week before. I can't really remember."

How did she take the news?

"It's tough," Jones said.

"In college, you know that people want you and they're going to recruit you. It's your choice. But in this situation, it's kind of out of your hands.

"You just go and play and hopefully they like you. But it's out of your control."

When it comes to the USA, though, it's not really a matter of whether they like Jones or Brittney Griner, the college basketball center at Baylor who also wasn't chosen.

Of course they like them.

But there are only 12 places in the team.

"It's tough," Jones said.

"You're choosing from the best players in the world and sometimes, you're not going to make the cut.

"And for me, that was the case this time."

With the one place still available, does Jones take the attitude that she's going to show them in the Spanish play-offs and in the WNBA that she should go to London?

"I don't play to prove things to other people," Jones said.

"I play for myself and my team.

“So, whether or not they were going to pick me, I was going to play in the same way this tournament (EuroLeague Women Final Eight)."

FIBA