Tonia Jones was so focused on X’s and O’s that she almost forgot her family memento.
In her third year as Mullen’s boss, Jones led the Mustangs back to the top of the mountain to earn the distinction of The Denver Post’s All-Colorado girls basketball coach of the year. Mullen won the Class 5A title, its eighth overall, as Jones was surrounded by her three daughters in senior forward Tatum Jones, sophomore guard Makenzie Jones and assistant coach Samantha Jones.
But it wasn’t until after the Mustangs had the trophy in hand that the Joneses finally remembered to take a photo together to remember their successful season of family hooping.
“What an awesome memory this season was for my family,” Tonia Jones said. “But the problem is, I’m also really bad at pictures. I didn’t get one picture until the season was over. Finally, my brother was like, ‘You and the girls have got to get at least one picture with the trophy.’
“He finally sent it to me (earlier this week). We had forgotten we even had it.”
Jones won the title in just her third season as a high school coach. Her experience before Mullen came on the club scene with EJ Hoops and Colorado Premier. The native of Spearfish, S.D., played collegiately at Regis University and MSU Denver. She took over a Mullen program previously helmed by Frank Cawley, who won titles in 2019, ’21 and ’22.
After playing in Class 6A last year, the Mustangs moved down to 5A for 2024-25. But they still played in the 6A Centennial League, plus a tough nonconference schedule featuring games against six out-of-state opponents.
So, by the time Mullen (19-9) rolled into the playoffs, it was clearly under-seeded at No. 6. What followed were five straight double-digit victories, including a 56-42 triumph over No. 1 Air Academy in the title game.
“Last year beating (2025 Class 6A champion) Grandview in the regular season and the Sweet 16 showed us what we were capable of,” Makenzie Jones said. “We lost some tough games this year, but we grew along the way, and we knew we would be ready once we got back to the (Denver) Coliseum.”
Tonia Jones said a bucket on the team’s opening possession in the Great 8 win over Windsor sparked the Mustangs, and generated confidence between the coach and her players that the 47-year-old could direct Mullen to the title.
On that play, which Jones said she drew up in practice the day before, Tatum faked a screen for Makenzie in the high post. Then Tatum made a back-door cut to the post, where Makenzie hit her with the open pass for an easy bucket.
It was a perfectly executed play between Tatum, a UC San Diego commit, and her younger sister Makenzie, who already has a handful of Division I offers, including CSU and UNLV.
“When that play worked, I felt like the girls would believe in me (in the biggest moments),” Tonia Jones said. “And that’s how it was from the opening play of Windsor to the end of the championship. We just knew that everything we had been talking about was going to come to fruition.”
While Makenzie (15.3 points per game, 5.8 rebounds) and Tatum (10.2 points, 5.9 rebounds) set the tone offensively, Mullen’s defensive-oriented mindset paid off in the victory over Air Academy.
The Mustangs kept Kadets senior forward and Kansas commit Tatyonna Brown from completely taking over the game despite 21 points and limited the impact of Air Academy’s Division I recruit at point guard, holding junior Kinley Asp to 13 points. The rest of the Kadets combined for just eight points.
Along the way to that game, Tonia Jones balanced tough love with her maternal instinct.
“She coaches like a mom,” Samantha Jones said. “She’s tough when she needs to be, but most of the time, she’s really understanding. That allows her to connect with the girls on a different level, because they really buy into what she’s saying because they know when she’s critical, it comes from a place of caring. … That really resonated all season with the girls to get us to where we wanted to go.”
All-Colorado Coach of the Year finalists
Matt Baumgartner, University: Led the Bulldogs to their first state title and an unbeaten season in Class 4A.
Darren Pitzner, Legend: Propelled the Titans to their first title game appearance with an up-tempo, team-oriented approach.
Janean Jubic, Pine Creek: Guided the Eagles to their first Final Four in program history.
