Next Stars’ Game – Monday, May 12 vs. Detroit Shock (Lubbock, Texas) 7 p.m. Tip
The Silver Stars hit the road for their next and final preseason tilt, facing the Detroit Shock in Lubbock, Texas, at the United Spirit Arena on the Texas Tech campus. Members of both teams are familiar with the United Spirit Arena as Detroit’s Plenette Pierson is a former Lady Raider and San Antonio’s
Kendra Wecker played for Kansas State.
In 2007, San Antonio and Detroit split the home-and-home series with the visiting team winning each affair. The Stars took a 71-68 victory on July 1 at Detroit while the Shock won 84-79 on July 30 in San Antonio.
Each team advanced to the WNBA Playoffs in 2007 with the Stars advancing to the Western Conference Finals and the Shock advancing to the WNBA Finals. Both teams fell to the eventual WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury.
Last Stars’ Game – Thursday, May 1 vs. Houston Comets (San Antonio, Texas)
The Silver Stars opened their preseason schedule against the Houston Comets at the end of Week 2 of training camp. The Stars lost, 74-68, in the affair. Sandora Irvin and Adrianne Ross led the scoring for San Antonio, notching 13 points apiece. Irvin also led with three blocks and Ross collected a team-high four assists.
Training Camp News
Five Silver Stars are still wrapping up their off-season commitments overseas and are expected back in the Alamo City before the start of the 2008 regular season. Becky Hammon, Ann Wauters and Edwige Lawson-Wade are in Russia playing with CSKA Samara of the EuroLeague. Sophia Young and Vickie Johnson are currently in Istanbul, Turkey, as members of Galatasaray. Both teams are currently in the finals of their respective leagues. In other Stars news, training camp invitees Nikita Bell and Katja Bavendam were waived after Thursday night’s game versus Houston. Also, this week’s training camp off-day has been switched from Thursday to Friday.
Q&A with head coach Dan Hughes
Coming into week three of training camp, what progress has been made in this short time and what are the expectations of the following week?
“Progress has been made on our execution ability on both offense and defense. Week three is mainly about adding to our offensive and defensive package and about the inclusion of a total look at how we play. We are also looking at how to add efficiency to our offensive game. Right now, we’re in a period of a lot of growth in what we’re asking the team to do.”
In the two weeks that have passed, what had stood out about this team?
“This is a very cognitive group. They listen well and they come physically and mentally ready every day, creating a positive environment for us to learn in.”
What are the goals and expectations of the next preseason game on Monday against the Detroit Shock in Lubbock?
“We’re hoping to add new players to the mix and if that’s not possible, then it will just be an evolution out of week three. We will work on diversifying our offense and defense and hopefully we’ll be adding some of our players back.”
Training Camp Practice Schedule
Monday, May 5 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Antioch Community Center, 314 Eross St.
Tuesday, May 6 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Antioch Community Center, 314 Eross St.
Wednesday, May 7 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Antioch Community Center, 314 Eross St.
Thursday 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Antioch Community Center, 314 Eross St.
Friday, May 9 Off
Saturday, May 10 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Antioch Community Center, 314 Eross St.
Sunday, May 11 Travel to Lubbock
Off-the-Court Fun Facts… Helen Darling
In honor of Mother’s Day, we focus on guard Helen Darling this week, who is mother to 6-year-old triplets. Some things you may not know about Helen:
She wrote and published Hide N Seek Mondays, the first of a series of seven children’s books during the 2007 season… Brings a rhyming dictionary and writes the children’s stories while on road trips… Loves scary movies… Helen and Sophia Young are roommates on the road and they like to order movies in their hotel room (see scary movies in the previous line), anyway, they invite teammates to join them for movie nights, but since hotel movies are around $11 or $12, they try to charge everybody $2 for watching movies in their room… Volunteered at the Make-A-Wish Foundation during the 2007-08 off-season… Helen began playing the clarinet in 3rd grade and made first chair in her 5th grade orchestra. She later played in the marching band in high school….Spent the off-season prior to the ’06 campaign working in the front office of the Charlotte Sting (for whom she then played), handling responsibilities in community relations, sales and marketing…. If not playing basketball would be a teacher.
