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NEW YORK – Tamika Catchings of the Indiana Fever was named WNBA Player of the Week for games played Monday, July 24 through Sunday, July 30. A leading candidate for the 2006 WNBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year honors, Catchings earns the ninth Player of the Week award of her career.
Catchings averaged 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 4.3 steals, 1.0 blocks and shot 50.0 percent from field-goal range (17-for-34) and 75.0 percent from the free-throw line (15-for-20) as the Fever posted a 2-1 record on the week, clinching a playoff spot in the process. The Fever’s 17-10 mark overall, is its best record ever after 27 games.
On July 30, Catchings recorded her eighth 20+ point game of the season (tied for the team lead), while shooting 7-for-13 and posting 9 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists. She also registered her 32nd block of the season, doubling her total for all of 2005. The Fever’s 69-64 victory over the Chicago Sky marked their seventh road win of the season, tying a franchise record.
Five days earlier, the Fever defeated the Sacramento Monarchs 75-60 with Catchings tallying 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks and shooting 5-for-8 field goals and 5-for-6 from the free throw line.
Catchings currently ranks first in the league in total steals (70) and steals per game (2.8), second in free-throws made (137), fifth in rebounds per game (7.7), sixth in double-doubles (5), seventh in blocks (32), eighth in points per game (16.4) and eighth in assists per game (3.76). The league's only player ranked among the WNBA's top 10 in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks, she is bidding to become the first player in WNBA history to lead the circuit in steals in three different seasons.
Other candidates for WNBA Player of the Week were Connecticut’s Katie Douglas, Los Angeles’ Lisa Leslie, Sacramento’s DeMya Walker, San Antonio’s Sophia Young and Vickie Johnson and Washington’s DeLisha Milton-Jones.
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