New York's Pondexter, Phoenix's Taylor Named WNBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week

Cappie Pondexter and Penny Taylor take home Player of the Week honors in Week 3 NBAE/Getty Images

NEW YORK, June 27, 2011 � Cappie Pondexter of the New York Liberty and Penny Taylor of the Phoenix Mercury were named the WNBA�s Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for regular season games played Monday, June 20 through Sunday, June 26.

While leading the Liberty to a 2-1 record, Pondexter ranked first among Eastern Conference players in assists (7.0 apg), fourth in scoring (22.3 ppg) and fifth in steals (2.67 spg). This marks Pondexter�s 11th Player of the Week award in her six seasons, fourth most in WNBA history.

On June 21, Pondexter scored 22 points and dished out six assists in a 96-91 loss at Los Angeles. Two days later, she recorded her second double-double of the year with a season-high 23 points and 10 assists in a 94-82 road victory over Tulsa. On June 26, she topped the 20-point mark for the fourth consecutive game with 22 points, to go along with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals in a 77-67 victory over Los Angeles.

This season, Pondexter is averaging 17.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists.

For the week, Taylor led the Mercury to a 3-0 record -- all road games -- and finished third in the Western Conference in scoring (22.0 ppg) and assists (6.7 apg), and second in field goal percentage (.615).

After scoring a season-high 30 points, on 11-of-15 shooting, in a 105-98 victory over San Antonio on June 21, Taylor followed up that performance by recording her second double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds as well as eight assists in a 92-83 victory over Atlanta on June 24. She then posted 19 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in an 86-78 victory over Chicago on June 25.

Taylor also reached a career milestone, becoming the 25th player in league history with at least 3,500 points.

This is Taylor�s second Player of the Week award in her career, and marks the second consecutive week a Mercury player has won the honor (Candice Dupree earned the honor last week).

Other candidates for WNBA Players of the Week were Chicago�s Sylvia Fowles, Indiana�s Tamika Catchings, Los Angeles�s Candace Parker, San Antonio�s Jia Perkins and Washington�s Crystal Langhorne.