Teresa, Team USA storm into semifinals

The USA Women’s U18 National Team (3-0) hit a record-tying 31 free throws and received double-figure point production from eight players as the Americans rolled past Puerto Rico (0-3), 108-44, on June 25 in the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Theresa Plaisance scored 6 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and blocked 2 shots in the winning effort.

A night after setting a tournament record with an 88.2 shooting percentage from the free-throw line, the USA went to the line a USA-record 46 times, connecting on 31 shots, which ties a USA U18 record. After shooting 20-of-21 from the charity stripe in the first half, the USA was on pace to rewrite the books again for highest percentage, but six consecutive misses to start the half led to an 11-of-25 performance from the line in the second half.

With the win, the USA finished the preliminary round as the No. 1 seed in Group B. It will face Chile (2-1), who defeated Mexico (1-2) 65-63 on Friday, in the semifinals on Saturday at 5:45 p.m. (all times MDT).

Article & Box Score: http://bit.ly/cTkMqc

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Posted by Bob Starkey 

Miami connection turn in good nights in the W

Once teammates at Miami Edision High School, and then again at LSU, Sylvia Fowles and Scholanda Robinson turned in good nights though both of their teams lost.

Big Syl at 16 points and 7 boards along with 2 blocked shots but fouled out as Chicago lost to Washington.

Box Score: http://bit.ly/alQ4yA

Sho had 14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in a Tulsa loss to New York.

Box Score: http://bit.ly/9dAdrz

Filed under  //  Alumni   Sylvia Fowles   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Mone and Syl in WNBA MVP race!

The WNBA is keeping tabs on the top players involved in the rave for league MVP and two Lady Tigers are among the top 10 in the latest projections. Here is what is being said about both:

Sylvia Fowles: It's a roller coaster year for the Chicago Sky, who since the start of the season have lost four, won four, lost four and, as of Tuesday night, won one. In the two games Chicago has played since the Week 5 Race to the MVP rankings, Fowles has finished one rebound short of a double-double in each. Her point production was limited Tuesday against the Sun, as she scored just 12 points, but the more impressive part is that she scored that on just 5-for-8 shooting. Plus, a game against the Sun pinned her against Tina Charles in a battle of the East's bigs. To credit Fowles' defensive game, she did hold Charles to 7-of-18. While rookie Epiphanny Prince may have led all scorers in points, Fowles' ability to contain Charles was a significant factor in the win.

Seimone Augustus: What a story for Seimone Augustus, who after playing only her third game since returning from surgery was awarded the Western Conference Player of the Week Award. It's no coincidence either that Augustus has played only four games since returning to the 2010 season and, in that span, Minnesota has gone 3-1. The hole's not too deep, nor is it entirely impossible to climb out of, but Augustus' on-court success will ultimately translate to success for the Lynx as a team. That much was evident Tuesday night against the Liberty when Augustus scored eight straight points within the last four minutes of the game to help the Lynx stay in it long enough to seal the deal. The No. 10 spot seems like a good place for Augustus to make her debut. Where she goes from here is up to her.

Check out and compare their stats with the others: http://www.wnba.com/features/player_rankings_100623.html

Filed under  //  Alumni   Seimone Augustus   Sylvia Fowles   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Big Syl and Chicago Sky's "Reading Time-Outs" Program

So how does one of the world's great players spend her day off?  By giving back to the community!  Certainly this is a side that we all remember but as her career advances, Sylvia Fowles does not forget what it's all about -- giving back!  As parf of the Chicago Sky "Reading Time-Outs" program, Big Syl reads Toy Story 3 to some kids.

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Posted by Bob Starkey 

Share Dishin & Swishin: Big Syl Sets the Record Straight

David Siegel is a great friend to women's basketball and does an amazing job of interviewing some of the game's greats.  This week it is an indepth interview with Sylvia Fowles.

Follow this link to read up and more importantly, listen to Big Syl being interviewed about a variety of topics: http://bit.ly/aFuCDG

Click on the RED lettering for each specific interview with Syl.

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Posted by Bob Starkey 

Marie strong in losing effort for LA

Marie Ferdinand continued her strong comeback from a knee injury by starting her second consecutive game and scoring 9 points in 31 minutes of action but it wasn't enough as Los Angeles lost to the Mystics in Washington.

Box Score: http://bit.ly/aXTSiK

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Posted by Bob Starkey 

Theresa, Team USA rolls again!

Theresa Plaisance and her USA teammates put together another dominating performance in routing Brazil 89-46.  Theresa scored 5 points and grabbed two rebounds in the victory.

Next up, the Americans will face Puerto Rico (0-2), who fell to Argentina (1-1) in the closing minutes on Thursday, 68-60. The game is scheduled for June 25 at 5:45 p.m. (all times MDT).

Standing at 2-0 in preliminary play, the USA has secured its berth into the medal semifinals, which begin on Saturday, and the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship. The top four teams plus Chile as the host country each earn a spot in the U19 Worlds.

Also Thursday, Canada (2-0) was the winner over Chile (1-1), 66-33; and Mexico (1-1) beat Costa Rica (0-2), 78-40. Canada will play Chile on June 25 at 11 a.m., while Costa Rica and Mexico square off at 1:15 p.m. and Brazil and Argentina play at 3:45 p.m.

Read the game report: http://bit.ly/aE3unv

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Posted by Bob Starkey 

Big Syl featured on ESPN.com by Mechelle Voepel

The following is part of an article written by Mechelle Voepel for ESPN.com:

Chicago Sky center Sylvia Fowles is the youngest of five siblings in her family … yet being a kind of older-sister type actually comes easily to her.

 "It's funny, isn't it? I like it, though," said the 6-foot-6 Fowles. "I accept my role. If that's what it takes, that's what I'm willing to do."

 "Big Syl" as "big sis"? Well, at the very least, she is that to rookie teammate Epiphanny Prince.

 "I cook her food," Fowles said, chuckling.

 And to sixth-year pro Cathrine Kraayeveld -- another newcomer this season to the Sky, although not to the WNBA -- Fowles is just a "sister" -- not necessarily the "big" kind. She doesn't need a protective instinct with Kraayeveld; instead they have bonded because of personality similarities.

 "Cat and I are very, very close," Fowles said. "Actually, we do call each other sisters. We hang out a lot more than anybody on the team. We have so much in common; we are both goofy and outgoing, and we like people."

Fowles, limited by injuries her first two WNBA seasons, is averaging 18.9 points and 8.1 for the Sky, a team that is 5-8 currently this summer and already has been down … and up … and down … and might now be up again.

But Fowles, individually, has avoided that roller coaster. She has scored in double figures in all 13 of the Sky's games and finally feels that she's closer to fulfilling her potential.

The knee/ankle/shoulder injuries that held her to 17 games as a rookie and 24 last season were rough for her, no doubt. But she never got very down about anything.

"I got through it all OK thanks to my mom," Fowles said. "She told me if I keep working at it, things will always get better. I had a good season in Russia, and to come back healthy this year and get off to an OK start in Chicago … I know I can do better, but I'm getting closer to where I should be."

After being such a lockdown defensive presence in college, Fowles wants to extend that in full force in the WNBA and in international competition. And on both offense and defense, she still gets tips/critiques from former LSU assistant coach Bob Starkey.

"He's like my papa," Fowles said. "Even though we had a rough time my freshman year as I was getting used to everything, I know now he's always going to have my back.

"He'll hit me up after games, with texts or by e-mail, telling me what I did well and what I can do better. I might not want to hear it sometimes, especially when we lose. But I always respect he's going to be there through the good, the bad and the ugly."

Fowles believes that earning a playoff spot in the log-jammed-as-usual Eastern Conference is an attainable goal this summer for the Sky … but she also knows the right way to talk about that possibility.

"We have the pieces to put together for the playoffs, but you can never jump too far ahead," Fowles said. "And you have to also be willing to learn as you go along."

Read the entire article: http://es.pn/alb7f8

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Filed under  //  Alumni   Sylvia Fowles   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Theresa, Team USA roll to opening round victory

Theresa Plaisance came off the bench and scored 6 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and had a team high 3 blocked shots as the 2010 USA Women’s U18 National Team (1-0) made an impressive first step toward earning its own gold medal.

Nine players scored at least six points for the USA, leading the USA to a 91-32 win over Argentina (0-1) on June 23 in each team’s opening game in the preliminary round of the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The USA’s 12 players have been in Colorado Springs training since June 8, when the trials to make the U18 National Team began. Some of the accompanying anxiousness to actually hit the floor showed in the game’s first minute and a half. After settling, though, the USA shot 33-68 from the field (49.0 percent) and out-rebounded Argentina, 62-20.

The USA now plays Brazil (1-0), an 81-35 winner over Costa Rica in its preliminary round opener, at 5:45 p.m. on June 24 on the second of three preliminary round games in Group B. The winner automatically secures one of the top two spots in the group, qualifying for the medal semifinals on Sat., June 26.

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Filed under  //  Team USA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Sholanda has 17 points & 6 steals in matinee loss

In a rare afternoon tip-off Scholanda Robinson gave a valiant effort for the Tulsa Shock in a 96-90 road loss to the Atlanta Dream.  Sho-Time lead the Shock in scoring with 17 points and a season high 6 steals!

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Filed under  //  Alumni   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey