Bentley, Sun Off To Hot 4-1 Start


The early moments of the WNBA season are often full of surprises. From unlikely contributors to emerging stars to teams that look better than anticipated, they happen every year.

So far this season, one such surprise is the play of the Connecticut Sun. Pitted with the task of playing a season without 2014 Rookie of the Year Chiney Ogwumike and the recently retired Katie Douglas, the Sun have come out firing on all cylinders.

Through five games the Sun are 4-1 and sit atop the Eastern Conference. And while it’s still too soon to be making judgments about the rest of the season, Connecticut’s play is definitely encouraging for such a young team. Their early season success includes two wins against the Atlanta Dream and a home win against the defending Eastern Conference champion Chicago Sky.

“Beating Eastern Conference opponents is number one for us,” head coach Anne Donovan said. “Being able to take care of our home floor. That game [against Chicago] was, obviously, a home court advantage for us, and it was Chicago, so it was meaningful in that sense.”

That they’re playing this well is one thing. That they’re doing it without Ogwumike (potentially out for the season while rehabbing a knee injury) is another. How Connecticut would handle making up for her production (15.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in 2014) was a major preseason question.

In 2015, the Sun are doing it by committee. Four players are averaging over 10 points per game, and rookie Chelsea Gray is averaging 9.2 all while averaging just 15 minutes a contest. As a team, they’re second in the league in three-point field goal percentage (38.3%) and third in overall field goal percentage (42%).

“We knew we weren’t going to replace [Ogwumike’s] numbers with one person,” Donovan said.  “So from the beginning we’ve talked about doing it as a team and that it would be a team effort and not any one person. And they’ve really responded to that. It makes a tough guard for us. When we have so many different people that can step up any night.”

That balanced approach has helped the Sun perform well on both ends of the floor. They currently boast the fourth-best offensive rating (points scored per 100 possessions) in the league at 99. But they’re also getting it done on the defensive end. Donovan’s team is currently putting up a defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) of 88.1 and is holding opponents to just 66 points per game.

“I think the difference for us this year is just some new acquisitions,” Donovan said. “Great leadership with Camille Little and Jasmine Thomas and just getting the experience that we did last year – Alyssa Thomas, and [Alex] Bentley and [Kelsey] Bone all got tremendous experience last year.”

Connecticut has started off hot despite being without point guard Allison Hightower, as well. The 2013 WNBA All-Star had knee surgery before the season and is out indefinitely. In her stead has been Alex Bentley. And she’s filled the void just fine, averaging 14 points and 3.4 steals per game.

With star Chiney Ogwumike out, (from left) Chelsea Gray, Allison Hightower, Camille Little and others have stepped up for the Sun.

With star Chiney Ogwumike out, (from left) Chelsea Gray, Alex Bentley, Camille Little and others have stepped up for the Sun.

“Alex is having an All-Star season so far,” Donovan said, “and she’s relished that we’ve moved her from the point guard to the two-guard spot. She’s just a great scorer. She knows how to create her own shot. She’s excellent at running the system, but her ability to create and her confidence really set her apart offensively. You have to be concerned with her within our offenses.”

Despite the hot start, the sample size is still rather small. And, as noted before, these types of things happen every year. Teams will settle in, find their groove and then things will begin to normalize. The picture being painted now across the WNBA right now isn’t close to what will be the final product. And Donovan understands that the season is just underway, the process just beginning.

“It’s early. We’re not picking anything and running with it,” Donovan said. “We’re still a work in progress. We have a long way to go with our own development, but I think who we’ve played and who we’ve matched well against early does give us confidence moving forward.”

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