Haley Jones and her preparation for another role.

Haley Jones enters her junior season as one of the top players in the country, and she will be looked to as a leader for a Cardinal squad that is once again loaded with talent.

Haley has always been a gifted scorer, but she really stepped up her game as a sophomore, averaging 16.2 points per contest. She also showed improved decision-making, averaging just 2.1 turnovers per game. Her biggest improvement came on the defensive end, where she used her long arms and quickness to become a lockdown defender.

While Jones is still refining her all-around game, she has already established herself as one of the best players in the country. And with another season of experience under her belt, she is poised for an even bigger junior campaign.

“In the backcourt, I’m really looking to just be more aggressive, get downhill and create for others,” Jones said. “I think that’s something (head coach Tara VanDerveer) really wants me to do this year, is use my speed and quickness to my advantage.”

Jones has also been working on her outside shot, an area of her game that she knows she must continue to improve if she wants to play at the next level.

It was a mindset that she took with her to Stanford, where she played in all 38 games as a freshman and started 37 of them, averaging 12.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and 31 percent from three-point range.

Now, as she prepares for her sophomore season, Jones is focused on expanding her game even further. She’s been working on her ball-handling and shooting, hoping to become more of a threat from the perimeter. She’s also been working on her post moves, hoping to become more of a force in the paint.

“I’ve been in the gym a lot lately just working on my jump shot and being more consistent with that,” she said. “I think that’ll be big for me this year, just being able to space the floor and knock down shots when I’m open.”

With Jones and Williams leading the way, Stanford is once again a favorite to win the Pac-12 and make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. And Jones is excited to see what she and her teammates can accomplish this season.

“I think we have a really special group,” she said. “I’m just excited to see what we can do this year.”