By Bill Sheehan

In the age of the three-point shot, Cristina Jones is a basketball throwback.

She averages a team-leading 16.1 points a game for Cal State Fullerton yet hasn't attempted a three-pointer this season. Jones does most of her offensive damage in the paint.

Her primary focus, though, is to disrupt opponents with her defense, rebounding and all-around hustle.

The 5-foot-10 forward also leads the team in field goal percentage (.481) and steals (61) and is second in rebounds (7.7 per game) and minutes played (441). "I have enough teammates who will shoot threes. Wherever the team needs me, I'm there," said Jones, a sophomore from Long Beach. Jones is currently third in the country with 4.07 steals per game and eighth in the country with 61 overall steals.

"Cristina is pretty selfless. She has never asked us to run plays for her," said Fullerton's first-year head coach John Bonner. "She understands that 3-point shooting is not her strength at the moment. She focuses on getting to the rim."

Bonner added that Jones was mistakenly credited with a three-point attempt in a game at the University of San Diego. "Actually, she hasn't taken a three all season."

She earned Big West Conference Player of the Week honors in December after scoring a career-high 25 points and grabbing eight rebounds in a victory over La Sierra University. It was the first weekly award for the Fullerton women's basketball program since Gabi Vidmar received the honor in December 2023.

Jones said the team's fast-paced, up-and-down approach complements her skill set. "We have one of the smallest teams in the conference, so we're not built for a half-court offense. Our game is to get out quick and get buckets. Every now and then we will run a few sets. But mostly it's transition, execute and defense."

The strategy appears to be paying dividends. Fullerton, which is 8-8 overall and 4-2 in Big West play, has already eclipsed its seven-win total from last season. A young team with only three upperclasswomen, the Titans will try to move up in the Big West standings this week as they host a pair of conference games, UC Davis (11-5, 4-1) will visit Titan Gym on Thursday for a 7 p.m. contest. On Saturday, UC Riverside (5-10, 3-2) and Fullerton will square off at 2 p.m.

"We have stressed transparency between coaches and players and between player and player, as well as team chemistry and relationships. The players are starting to believe in themselves and the system. It's cool to see them get good results," said Bonner, whose team is currently fourth in the Big West.

"Our goal is to outwork opponents. We want to leave the impression that we are the hardest-working team on the floor.

Fullerton hired Bonner in May after he led Cal State Dominguez Hills to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Division 2 Women's Basketball Championship game. Jones was one of his players at Dominguez Hills. She averaged 9.3 points and 6.1 rebounds as a freshman.


Cristina Jones helped lead Cal State Dominguez Hills to the NCAA Division 2 Championship game last year before transferring to Cal State Fullerton

"I was a fan of coach Bonner and had a week to decide whether to join him at Fullerton," said Jones. "I asked my relatives for their opinions. Then I hopped in and out of the transfer portal quickly. Some other schools expressed an interest while I was in the portal. I told them, 'Sorry, I already picked my school.'"

"At Dominguez Hills, we had a lot of older players. I knew Fullerton would be a young team. Things have gone better than I thought they would. I pushed really hard during workouts in the summer. And we have really come together – I know the team has my back."

Kya Pearson, a 5-foot-9 swing player, also transferred to Fullerton from Dominguez Hills last spring. She said Jones is sporting a new mindset and has adapted to her new environment.

Cristina had the defense when she first arrived at Dominguez Hills, and her scoring came in the second half of the season. At Fullerton, she has stepped up to a bigger role."

Bonner also said Jones' confidence and play has grown by leaps and bounds. "Cristina understands angles and space, and her teammates are looking for ways to get her the ball. She is good in the open court, creates a lot of havoc and does everything it takes to win."

Jones, 19, said she was late to basketball. "I started playing pickup basketball and volleyball in middle school. In high school, I wanted to focus on my academics and AP classes, so I just concentrated on basketball."

Her first two years on the Lakewood High School basketball team were challenging, she said. "The team didn't win a lot of games. We were still dealing with the pandemic. And then I broke my left ankle in the summer before my junior year during AAU competition."

Things quickly improved after she recovered from her injury. Jones and Nyemah King, who is redshirting as a Fullerton freshman this season, led Lakewood to a second-place finish in the 2022-23 Moore League. Jones was named Moore League Player of the Year, while King was named First Team All-League.

A year later, Lakewood again placed second in the league and reached the CIF 2A Championship game. Jones and King were both named First Team All-CIF Division 2. King was named Moore League Player of the Year, with Jones earning First Team All-League honors.


At Lakewood High School, Cristina Jones earned Moore League Player of the Year honors and was named First Team All-CIF Division 2.

Jones' mother, Latasha Jones, influenced her choice of colleges. "My mother graduated from Dominguez Hills, and one of my sisters was attending there. It just seemed where I needed to be coming out of high school," Jones said.

A year later, Latasha was concerned about her daughter's decision to transfer to Fullerton. "Initially, I wanted her to stay. But it was a move Cristina thought would help her. I was OK with that -- I want my kids to be happy.


Cristina Jones visits with her mother, Latasha, who attends all Fullerton home games and calls her daughter "a team player who hustles, rebounds and never gives up."

Playing AAU basketball really helped Cristina develop her skills and get to the next level. She is a team player who hustles, rebounds and never gives up."

Jones' parents both played collegiate sports. Latasha ran track at Dominguez Hills. Jones' father, Nguyen Little, played basketball in college. A grandmother played volleyball.

Latasha works as a teacher's aide for the Long Beach Unified School District. She also serves as a home-caregiver for special-needs children and adults. She attends all Fullerton home games as well as road games held in Southern California.

Jones has five older half-sisters -- Cheyenne, Crystal, Nia, Justice, and Keiasha.

A business major, Jones envisions a career as an entrepreneur. When she isn't on the court or in the classroom, she likes watching TV and movies and spending time with family and friends.

"Cristina loves to make jokes," said her teammate, Pearson. "She is very unselfish and cares about everyone more than herself."

Jones is optimistic that the Titans will return to the Big West playoffs after a two-year absence. "I think we can make it all the way to the Big West Tournament this season," she said. "And hopefully we can get further than that."

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