Big Night for Big Syl, Sho, and Meek in the WNBA!

Sylvia Fowles took her Chicago team on the road last night to play the first place Atlanta Dream -- and the Sky left with an 80-70 victory -- their 3rd in a row!  Big Syl lead all scored with 19 points and had a game high 9 rebounds along with 3 steals.

Read more about the game: http://bit.ly/bT5QEH

In Tulsa, Scholanda Robinson lead the Shock in scoring with 20 points while adding 4 assists, 2 steals as they defeated Minnesota.

Read more about the game: http://bit.ly/ciDHsb

In Phoenix, Temeka Johnson tallied 16 points, passed off for 5 asssits and grabbed 2 steals in leading the Mercury to a come-from-behind 90-89 thriller over the Los Angeles Sparks.

Read more about the game: http://bit.ly/ciDHsb

Filed under  //  Sylvia Fowles   Temeka Johnson   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Ally on the WNBA: "So far so good"

The following is an article written by Allison Hightower:

So far my transition from college to the WNBA has been a fun and different experience. I most definitely have enjoyed every part of it.

I have to say one of the biggest differences between playing basketball in college and the WNBA is the speed of the game. It's definitely a faster pace than it is from college, because in college you have a 30-second shot clock and now you have a 24-second shot clock.

We run the ball way more in the WNBA, and we also take quicker shots. In college you have all the time in the world to be patient and run your offense as many times as you may need to. I like the up tempo style of the WNBA because to me it's fun!

Of course, when you enter the next level everybody is just as good as, or even better than you are. Players are quick, strong, tough, and have an overall passion about the game that makes you love every minute of it.

Coming from LSU I had the privilege to play for ex-WNBA coach and four-time WNBA champion of the Houston Comets Van Chancellor. He is a great coach who bought his knowledge and competitiveness to LSU. He taught me a lot, and prepared me for the next level. He also told me some very important keys about making it in the WNBA because everybody in the league is so talented, and you have to make sure that you stay on top of your game at all times if you want to be successful. I was very lucky to have him as a coach because he has helped me get to this point of making my very first WNBA roster!

So far everything has been good. The transition was something I really thought I would struggle with, but with the help of my teammates and coaches, I am getting adjusted very well.

Connecticut is a great place to be, especially if you love women's basketball. I am truly blessed to be able to live my dream of playing professional basketball in the WNBA.

Hopefully, I'll be able to play as long as the Good Lord lets me. Until next time, go Sun!!!

Courtesy TheDay.com

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Filed under  //  WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Seimone talks about her latest injury, rehab and timetable for returning

Check out this lengthy video for some great inside information on Seimone's recovery and her thoughts on her rehab and her return to the WNBA.

http://wcco.com/video/?id=79565

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Filed under  //  Seimone Augustus   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Big Syl eager to get through WNBA season injury-free

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Amos Morale of the Times-Picayune catches up with Big Syl as she enters another WNBA season:

Syliva Fowles is downright giddy about this upcoming WNBA season.

Fowles, the Chicago Sky's 6-foot-6 center and a former LSU All-American, finally feels healthy.

"Knock on wood, I hope to stay this way the whole season, " Fowles said.

After a knee injury ended her rookie season and an ankle injury derailed her second year, Fowles said she's pain-free and ready for the WNBA season, which begins today.

Despite her playfulness off the court, Fowles said this season she wants to be more of a force on offense. She has averaged 10.9 points and 7.7 rebounds with Chicago.

"I've always been known to be effective on defense but not necessarily as much on offense, " Fowles said. "So (I'm) just trying to be aggressive more around the rim and get more touches."

Like most WNBA players, Fowles spend her offseason playing overseas, for Spartak Moscow in Russia. She's had an opportunity to hone her game there and has had no complaints about spending half the year in a foreign country -- except one: "The winters there (stink). Being from Florida, it was kind of hard, but other than that, it was pretty good."

Fowles said the style of play in Russia allows for more aggressiveness, which she has to adjust to back in America. The lane also is wider in the Russian league, and three-second violations are rarer.

Fowles said the biggest adjustment is getting back into the routine of the WNBA. She had more leisure time overseas, but her off-court obligations in the States rarely allow for such freedom.

"Being here, you never know what you might have to do, " Fowles said. "You might have a community service, or an appearance, to sit down and watch film, meetings and thing like that."

She said she was looking forward to building chemistry with the Sky. "Once they get me going, everything else is going to flow like butter, I guess, " Fowles said. "I don't really have any preparations. I just go out there and play to the best of my abilities and win."

Read the entire article: http://bit.ly/aIxycQ

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

Six Former LSU Lady Tigers On 2010 WNBA Opening Day Rosters, Second Most In The SEC

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A total of six former LSU women’s basketball players are on 2010 WNBA Opening Day rosters, including Connecticut Sun rookie Allison Hightower, the league announced on Friday.

LSU’s six players represent the second most among teams in the Southeastern Conference, trailing only Tennessee who put 10 former players on rosters. Georgia is third with four representatives. Dating back to the league’s inception in 1997, LSU has produced 15 players on WNBA active rosters.

The WNBA begins its 14th season at 1 p.m. CT Saturday when the defending champion Phoenix Mercury host the Los Angeles Sparks on ESPN2.

Hightower, a 2010 State Farm Honorable Mention All-American, was drafted by the Sun with the 15th overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft. After a solid preseason camp, the former All-SEC performer found a spot on the roster. Hightower makes her official debut at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday when Connecticut hosts the Chicago Sky.

Former two-time State Farm All-American center Sylvia Fowles begins her third season with the Chicago Sky after becoming a first-time All-Star in 2009. Fowles was a member of the All-Rookie and All-Defensive Team in 2008. In two seasons, she has averaged 10.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.

Last season, the 6-foot-6 center led the league in field goal percentage (.599) and ranked second in defensive rebounds per game with 5.7. Fowles is poised for another all-star season as one of the WNBA’s premier players.

Temeka Johnson seeks to defend her 2009 WNBA championship as a member of the Phoenix Mercury. Johnson resigned with the Mercury last month and begins her sixth season in the league.

The 2005 Lieberman Award winner as the nation’s top collegiate point guard, Johnson became the second former Lady Tiger to win a WNBA championship when the Mercury bested Indiana in the best-of-seven finals, 4-2.

“This is the most secure I’ve felt since being in the WNBA,” Johnson said. “We never know what will happen in the future, but this has felt like home since last year. I love my teammates, the ownership, the coaches, the staff, the fans, everyone.”

Johnson started all 11 of Phoenix’s playoff games, posting 7.5 points and 3.1 assists per contest. She owns WNBA averages of 7.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 134 career games.

Scholanda Robinson signed a free agent contract with the Tulsa Shock, a franchise that begins its inaugural season on Saturday. Robinson is playing in her fifth WNBA season after four successful years with the Sacramento Monarchs. She has averaged 6.1 points and 1.3 boards in 130 career games. Robinson pulled down a career-best 1.6 rebounds last season in her final season with Sacramento.

Marie Ferdinand-Harris is the veteran of the former Lady Tigers in the league. Ferdinand opens her ninth WNBA season and her third with the Los Angeles Sparks. She has averaged in double-figures during her entire career with 10.4 points in 241 games. Ferdinand has reached the WNBA playoffs in each of the past three seasons.

Seimone Augustus, the two-time National Player of the Year at LSU, is on the opening day roster with the Minnesota Lynx for the fifth consecutive year since she was drafted No. 1 overall in 2006. Augustus will be sidelined for at least the first month of the season.

She underwent surgery in her abdomen to remove three non-cancerous fibroids. Augustus, a two-time All-Star, could return to the floor in June. In four years, she has posted a league-best 21.2 points per game even though her 2009 season was cut short due to a knee injury. 

Roneeka Hodges, who played for LSU from 2001-03 but finished her career at Florida State, was named to the San Antonio Silver Stars roster. Hodges is in her sixth WNBA season after stints in Houston and Minnesota.

2010 WNBA Lady Tigers On Opening Day Rosters
Seimone Augustus, Minnesota Lynx, Fifth Season
Marie Ferdinand-Harris, Los Angeles Sparks, Ninth Season
Sylvia Fowles, Chicago Sky, Center, Third Season
Allison Hightower, Connecticut Sun, Rookie Season 
Temeka Johnson, Phoenix Mercury, Sixth Season 
Scholanda Robinson, Tulsa Shock, Fifth Season

SEC Players on 2010 WNBA Opening Day Rosters

Tennessee 10
LSU 6
Georgia 4
Auburn 2
Alabama 1
Arkansas 1
Florida 1
Ole Miss 1
Mississippi State 1


 

Filed under  //  WNBA  
Posted by Bill Martin  

Temeka Johnson Radio Interview

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Click on this link to hear a great interview by David Siegel of Dish n' Swish with Temeka Johnson talking about everything including LSU, Coach Gunter, Hurricane Katrina, the WNBA, the HOPE Foundation and much more.

Filed under  //  Media   WNBA  
Posted by Bill Martin  

Welcome back Big Syl!

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In exhibition play last night, Sylvia Fowles played in her first game after returning from the Euroleage playoffs and poured in 13 points with 7 rebounds in only 22 minutes of play as Chicago defeated Seattle 84-71.


Welcome back big Syl!

Filed under  //  Sylvia Fowles   WNBA  
Posted by Bill Martin  

Lady Tigers Shine in WNBA Exhibition Games

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As the WNBA gears up for the start of a new season, several teams (and Lady Tigers) were in action this weekend.

Scholanda Robinson hit 4-8 from the field including her only 3-attempt, scoring 11 points and leading Tulsa to the franchises first victory as they defeated Seattle 90-80.

Erica White had 4 points for the Atlanta Dream in a 77-58 lost to Washington.

Temeka Johnson saw her first exhibition action this year and drill 8-10 from the floor and 2 of 3 from behind the arc. She has a total of 21 points and 4 assists as the WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury defeated the China National team 106-79.

Marie Ferdinand-Harris his 6-8 from the floor including her only 3-point attempt for 13 points in only 16 minutes but it wasn't enough as Los Angeles lost to San Antonio. Roneeka Hodges started and scored 7 points for San Antiono. Quianna Chaney came of the bench but missed her only shot attempt.

In Connecticut, Allison Hightower scored 6 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in the Sun's 89-46 victory over the Poland National team.

We want to wish all our Lady Tigers the best of luck in making their teams and having successful season.

Filed under  //  WNBA  
Posted by Bill Martin  

Seimone Aims To Put Scary Surgery In The Past

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From Dave Campbell of the Associated Press:

MINNEAPOLIS — The grueling rehabilitation Seimone Augustus finished for her fixed-up left knee seems insignificant next to the surgery she's recovering from now.

The two-time WNBA All-Star forward for the Minnesota Lynx had three non-cancerous but painful tumors called fibroids removed from her abdomen and lower back 10 days ago, a procedure that brought both emotional and physical stress.

One of the fibroids was as big as a baby's head, and another was the size of a grapefruit. Augustus knew about her condition and hoped to put off an operation until after the season, but after a few days of intense workouts last month the pain was such that immediate surgery became necessary.

"They said it was equivalent to a woman having contractions during birth," Augustus said Tuesday in her first public comments since the procedure.

There was another, deeper side of this situation, too: Her uterus needed to be taken out. Her ovaries were saved, so she can use a surrogate mother if she wants to have a baby in the future.

"My main thing was to be able to have kids using my eggs," Augustus said, adding: "I want women to know that if they do have a fibroid to try to address it as soon as possible before it gets to that point."

Entering her fifth season, Augustus is the league's all-time leader at 21.2 points per game for her career. She's clearly more than just a scoring leader for the Lynx, too, with a toughness that stretches beyond the colorful tattoos along her arms.

She aims to be playing basketball again in five weeks.

"She's so resilient," teammate Charde Houston said.

Fibroids cause bleeding, pain or other problems in nearly one-third of all women. The growths are a medical mystery, and symptoms can come suddenly. Fibroids account for 40 percent of the nation's annual hysterectomies.

Augustus said her mother and grandmother also had fibroids, and that a family friend died from complications during a similar surgery. Her plan was to have the procedure done in Louisiana, her home state, but quickly realized it was too serious to wait.

"It's a very intense process, a very emotional process. It was very scary," she said, adding: "The pain was so much that I couldn't walk. I couldn't really get around. I knew I wasn't going to be able to get on a plane to have the surgery. So talking to my dad and hearing his voice crack on the phone, I felt uneasy. I knew I had to get it done."

New head coach Cheryl Reeve was impressed by her "first experience of being in the trenches" with Augustus. When she saw the pictures of the size of the fibroids, Reeve was speechless.

"My mouth dropped," she said. "I said I will never, ever question that player's pain tolerance."

Another key Lynx contributor, guard Candice Wiggins, is also out for several more weeks while she recovers from surgery on her right knee. But the Lynx boast a player at each position who has been an All-Star at least once, and despite only two playoff appearances — and no series won — in the franchise's 11 seasons they are a confident group.

Reeve reminded them as much recently.

"She said playoffs is an expectation. Championship is the goal," Augustus said.

Filed under  //  Media   Seimone Augustus   WNBA  
Posted by Bill Martin  

Hightower's Sun Defeat Erica's Dream - Both Play Well

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Allison Hightower's Connecticut Sun got the best of Erica White's Atlanta Dream in an 86-79 victory today. Both players played well with Allison scoring 10 points on 3 of 4 from the floor and 4 of 4 from the free throw line. Ally also grabbed 2 boards and 2 steals. Erica scored 4 points on 2 of 4 shooting and also passed off for 3 assists while picking off 2 steals.

Connecticut their next exhibition game at home against the Poland National team on Friday while Atlanta plays Washington in Cookeville, TN on Sunday.

Connecticut site: http://www.wnba.com/sun/
Atlanta
site: http://www.wnba.com/dream/

Filed under  //  WNBA  
Posted by Bill Martin