Shock-Dream Preview

Posted Aug 27 2012 6:28PM

After leading the Atlanta Dream from their infancy to consecutive appearances in the WNBA finals, the only head coach the franchise has ever known is out.

One day after firing Marynell Meadors and replacing her with assistant Fred Williams, the Dream try to keep the Tulsa Shock winless on the road Tuesday night.

The surprising move was announced Monday, with Williams also taking over Meadors' duties as general manager. Williams served as head coach of the Utah Starzz from 1999-2001.

Meadors was the WNBA coach of the year in 2009 and an assistant coach for the United States women's team that won Olympic gold in London.

"As a team, we are unified in our drive to build on what we've achieved in our first five years," Williams said in a release from the team. "We want to acknowledge the strong contribution that Marynell Meadors made to this organization. Our franchise will continue to build on the tradition of speed, scoring and tough defense that has resulted in back-to-back Eastern Conference championships."

The Dream are 12-12 after going a franchise-best 20-14 last year. It's unclear if the shakeup had anything to do with the recent absence of star Angel McCoughtry.

The league's leading scorer sat out back-to-back games last week due to what was described as personal reasons, then came off the bench and played 20 minutes in Saturday's 84-74 loss to Minnesota. McCoughtry had also been held out of the starting lineup June 15 against Los Angeles for breaking an unspecified team rule.

"She played," Meadors said Saturday when asked if McCoughtry was at full strength. "She played the game tonight. I guess she is. She wouldn't be in the game if she was not, OK? All I can say is that she played."

McCoughtry, averaging 22.2 points, said Saturday that she was hoping to start against a Shock team she's had her way with of late.

"I asked coach for a couple of days off so I could get myself together," said McCoughtry, who's averaged 26.7 points in her last three meetings with Tulsa. "She allowed me to do that, so I'm grateful for that.

"I felt like I didn't really have my legs (Saturday) like I wanted to. I'll be OK, though, once I get back in the flow of things."

Seeking its third consecutive two-game season sweep in this series, Atlanta has to like its chances of bouncing back against the Shock (4-19). Tulsa suffered its sixth loss in seven games and dropped to 0-10 as the visiting team Saturday with a 91-71 defeat at San Antonio.

Riquna Williams had 17 points and Ivory Latta scored 15 for the Shock, who were outrebounded 42-24 while playing their second game in as many nights.

"It was a very tough game," Latta said. "We played one of if not the best teams in the league and we are coming off back-to-back games and I don't want to blame it on fatigue, but we know we need to come out and play better."

A more efficient effort on the glass could go a long way for the Shock, who rank last in the WNBA with 29.8 rebounds per game. Atlanta held a 36-26 advantage on the boards and shot 60.9 percent during a 102-92 victory at Tulsa on June 29.

Hodges, Johnson help Tulsa end road skid

By GEORGE HENRY
Posted Aug 28 2012 10:56PM

ATLANTA (AP) Tulsa coach Gary Kloppenburg finally got the road win his team desperately needed.

It was a mixed blessing of sorts for the Shock, who learned earlier Tuesday that center Elizabeth Cambage will not return this season.

``That was our first road win, so we're really excited about that,'' Kloppenburg said. ``I thought we executed down the stretch to win. We've had trouble finishing games.''

Roneeka Hodges scored 20 points, Temeka Johnson had 17 and the Shock beat the short-handed Atlanta Dream 84-80 on Tuesday night to snap a 13-game road losing streak.

The Dream played without guard Angel McCoughtry, who was suspended indefinitely before the game by new coach and general manager Fred Williams for breaking an unspecified team rule. McCoughtry is the WNBA's leading scorer and helped the U.S. women win the gold medal at the London Olympics.

Williams plans to meet with McCoughtry on Wednesday.

``I have to thoroughly and strongly talk to her,'' Williams said. ``We'll see where that lies tomorrow when I talk with her. I think it's been a culmination of some things that added on to the suspension that I read into it.''

Williams indicated that McCoughtry's future with the Dream is not certain.

``I wanted to come into this game for our team with a clear mind, and I wanted her not to have the pressure of everything, of her thinking about a few things that are going on,'' he said. ``Now if she's still with us, she still has the Atlanta Dream tag on her back right now, and we'll see where that goes.''

Erika de Souza scored 16 points and Sancho Lyttle had 14 for Atlanta (12-13), which has lost two straight and three of five.

Tulsa, which dropped its last three road games of 2011, improved to 1-10 this season away from home. The Shock (5-19) announced they will be without Cambage for the rest of the season after the No. 2 overall pick in last year's WNBA draft decided not to play.

Tulsa closed the first half with a 14-4 run to trim Atlanta's lead to 51-44. The Shock grabbed the lead for good when Glory Johnson converted a fast-break layup to make it 63-62 with 1:28 left in the third.

``We showed a lot of poise tonight,'' Temeka Johnson said.

Cathrine Kraayeveld hit a 3-pointer with 12.6 seconds remaining to help Atlanta close to 81-80, but Temeka Johnson hit a free throw and Lyttle's inbounds pass was stolen by Glory Johnson.

Ivory Latta scored 14 points and Glory Johnson finished with 10 for Shock.

Armintie Price had 13 points for the Dream. Kraayeveld finished with 11.

``I told the young ladies that we've got to finish out the game and play a good, solid four quarters of basketball,'' Williams said. ``Some of the focus was distracted a little bit tonight, but they still played through it and made some things happen for us.''

Cambage, who won a bronze medal with Australia, had been expected to return to Tulsa on Monday but did not board her flight. The team had been promoting her expected return in Thursday night's home game against Los Angeles after she dunked in an Olympic game.

``She is physically fatigued, and we've been in touch for a while with Tulsa to let them know that,'' said Allison Tranquilli, Cambage's Australia-based agent. ``She is taking a well-earned rest.''

Kloppenburg has yet to speak with Cambage.

``Not since this all went down,'' he said. ``I think it's a situation where she was probably coming back off the Olympics, got back home and some fatigue set in. Maybe she was just kind of overwhelmed about coming back for just a few games. I think that was it more than anything.

``I think she definitely wants to be in our league and in Tulsa. But I think with our situation this year and her youth, you see with most of veteran players that they play in the Olympics and they're back. I think she's still learning how to come back.''

Kloppenburg and team president Steve Swetoha said they think Cambage will return next year, but Tranquilli did not want to speculate about next season.

``We just made a decision based on her situation right now,'' she said. ``We'll let her recover first.''

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AP Sports Writer Dennis Passa in Brisbane, Australia, contributed to this report.

• Shock: --
• Dream: --

• Shock: --
• Dream: --

• Lead Changes: 5
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
• Officials: #9 Denise Brooks, #24 Tony Dawkins, #49 Kevin Sparrock
• Attendance: 2813
• Duration: 2:03