By Mike Weilamann
May 30, 2008: Scoreboard |
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Storm Definitely Brewing up Something in Seattle
Action Jackson Stars the Party:
Friday night’s matchup between the Silver Stars and the host Storm was essentially over in its infancy. Seattle, led by reigning MVP Lauren Jackson, raced out to a 14-0 lead which eventually grew to 20-2 with 2:33 left in the first quarter, and they never looked back in a 78-57 blowout at KeyArena. Jackson scored her team’s first 10 points and finished with a game-high 28, including 16 in that decisive opening quarter. San Antonio didn’t even hit its first field goal until Sophia Young converted with 31.8 seconds left in the first. At 4-1, Seattle matched the 2005 team for the franchise’s best start. Seattle’s strong start is not surprising. With three MVPs on the roster, the Storm were expected to be among the league’s top teams this season. Friday’s win was especially rewarding because Seattle snapped a six-game losing streak against the Silver Stars, including an 87-72 loss at San Antonio last Saturday.
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ALSO MAKING HEADLINES ... |
Sun Continue Their Rise:
Here come the Sun. Tamika Whitmore posted 18 points and Connecticut held off a late New York rally to beat the Liberty Friday night. Whitmore also locked up this one with a free throw in the closing seconds. She had plenty of help as Asjha Jones posted 16 points and Lindsay Whalen added 15. The Sun’s reserves scored 20 of the team’s 42 points in the first half. The win puts the Sun at 4-1 on the season, thanks largely to Whitmore who came to the Sun in the off-season deal that sent Katie Douglas to Indiana. Both players are thriving with their new teams. And it seems a recent 29-point loss to the Fever has apparently sparked the Sun, their worst loss in franchise history. Apparently Connecticut got the memo.
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"Mentally and physically, she's so much tougher. She's reinvented herself. She found that love of the game again, and she's like a new woman."
-- Monarchs coach Jenny Boucek said of Adrian Williams-Strong, who scored 10 points in Friday's win over the Comets.
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Lauren Jackson, Storm
28 pts, 10-16 FG, 2-3 3-pt FG, 6-6 FT
78-57 win vs. Silver Stars
Ashja Jones, Sun
18 pts, 6-12 FG, 1-3 3-pt FG, 3-4 FT
89-84 win vs. Liberty
Ann Wauters, Silver Stars
14 pts, 6-8 FG, 2-3 FT
78-57 loss at Storm
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Becky Hammon, Silver Stars
0-6 FG, 0-5 3-pt FG, 3 pts
78-57 loss at Storm
Vickie Johnson, Silver Stars
2-11 FG, 5 pts
78-57 loss at Storm
Mwadi Mabika, Comets
1-9 FG, 0-5 3-pt FG, 2 pts
73-66 loss at Monarchs
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Saturday's Games ...
Sparks at Mystics, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Shock at Fever, 7 p.m. ET (NBA TV)
Mercury at Lynx, 8 p.m. ET
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It was a tough night for the much-heralded Class of 2008, at least for those who did step on the court Friday as far as wins and losses. Two former Rutgers stars made their presence felt in losses -- Matee Ajavon and Essence Carson. Ajavon posted 14 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals in the Comets’ 73-66 loss to the Monarchs. Carson went for 15 points, two rebounds and two assists in the Liberty’s 89-84 defeat against the Sun. Carson’s points came off the bench. Meanwhile, Ajavon’s Comets are still searching for their first win of the season, dropping to 0-4 with the loss.
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Lindsay Whalen gave the Sun some quality minutes in Friday’s win over the Liberty. Whalen finished with 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds in nearly 26 minutes of action. Whalen is known for lending a helping hand as she finished second in the league in assists last season. She, along with Tamika Whitmore, has been the glue that’s held this young Connecticut team together and gotten them off to a 4-1 start. The Sun have six rookies on their roster, so it’s hard to believe anyone saw this coming. It will be interesting to see how far this team goes this season.
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