Besides bouncing back from a loss, a good telling sign of a good team is how they look after that loss.
"If you can see the looks on these ladies' faces when you came into the locker room after the game," notes Minnesota Lynx guard Navonda Moore, "you look in their eyes and see that (we) don't want that to happen again."
In years past, after a defeat, most of the women didn't have that look. Oh, they did not like losing, but they weren't that brokenhearted over it either.
Not anymore.
It was the look after again losing again to Connecticut Tuesday night, 75-66, at home, the Lynx's second loss of the season -- both defeats at the hands of the Sun.
This time, it was Connecticut's Barbara Turner, who scored 16 of her 18 points in the second half, who helped produce that look in the hosts' faces, as the veteran guard-forward helped her Sun outscore the hosts 47-29, and overcame a nine-point halftime deficit.
"Barbara Turner got hot for them," explained Lynx Coach Don Zierden afterwards. "She picked them up and carry them."
Minnesota's evening-long cold shooting (25-for-75, 33 percent), including a 28-percent second half performance, also greatly contributed to that look as well.
"We couldn't throw it in the ocean," says Zierden.
Tuesday's defeat overshadowed perhaps Moore's best performance of the year: 7 points, 4 rebounds and a blocked shot.
"She was aggressive and got to the free throw line (5-of-7), and did some nice things for us," notes her coach. "That was an encouraging sign for us."
However, afterwards Moore couldn't accept this reporter's praise for her on-court work.
"I'm not thinking about that now," she admits. "I wanted that 'W' really bad. We all wanted that 'W' so bad. I am just thinking about focusing on tomorrow, and focusing on Sacramento (Minnesota's next opponent)."
She had that look, which lend credence to what Zierden has been saying since last season -- a change of culture is being created in Lynxland.
"It's hurt to have a decent game," continues Moore, "and you still look at that 'L.' What good feeling you can have out of that?"
Instead, the Lynx players left with that empty feeling, coming up short in their first home loss of the 2008 season.
Instead, they are kicking themselves because they didn't bring their usual energy, especially in the deciding second half.
"We didn't match their intensity in the second half," admits Lynx forward Nicole Ohlde.
Says Moore, "We had some spurts where we had a lot of energy, then we had three to five minutes where we were searching for it. That's not the way that we are."
Despite going up against a veteran, seasoned Connecticut squad, Moore refuses to blame their hit-and-miss energy on being young.
"We are a lot of second-year players and rookies," says Moore, "but when it comes down to it, it is really just playing basketball. This is the game we have been doing all of our lives.
"Intensity is something you can't teach," she adds.
Afterwards, reporters asked Zierden can the Lynx bounce back from Tuesday's defeat to play Sacramento on Thursday.
"They did a nice job responding after the first Connecticut loss (June 6)," he pointed out. "Now we'll see how we will come out Thursday night."
Bouncing back is something Moore and her teammates don't want to do too much more this season.
"Seimone (Augustus) told us that she is getting tired of hearing "bounce back," discloses the second-year guard. "We don't want to keep bouncing back."
Instead, the Lynx players had no choice but to leave the arena, to go into that good, good night Tuesday:
With that look.
Lynx Bits - - -
Augustus's 10 assists Tuesday was both a career and season high: she also kept alive her current double-figure scoring streak alive, now at 66 games, when the third-year guard hit a 22-footer trey with 29 seconds left in the game, to give her 11 points for the game . . .
Nicky Anosike went 2-for-11 against the Sun, her worst shooting game in her young rookie career. She perhaps is dwelling too much on her misses, Zierden believes. "She gets down on herself and is harder on herself as anybody," he says. His advice: "If you focus on what's happened in the past, it will affect your next shot."
Anytime Connecticut comes to town, which is only once a season, it brings people who usually don't want to be seen at any women's hoops game: the Twin Cities' "Mount Rockhead" -- columnists Patrick Reusse (Star Tribune), Tom Powers and Charley Walters (both of the St. Paul Pioneer Press) made their usual annual appearance Tuesday. All of them made a beehive to the Sun's locker room afterwards to again fawn over former U-M player Lindsay Whalen.
This reporter usually avoids such nonsense -- I covered Whalen all four years in college, meanwhile the Rockheads didn't know she existed until her junior year when the Gophers began winning, and broke the bandwagon in covering her.
Former Lynx Tamika (Williams) Raymond did not score in her five minutes of action, going 0-for-2, with one rebound, in her first trip back to Minnesota after being traded to the Sun this spring for Kristen Rasmussen. "We appreciate what she gave us last year in leadership," says Coach Z of Raymond, Minnesota's 2002 first round draft pick. "We had to make the trade, and she was very gracious about it."
"They could've traded me off to boo-boo land, but they put me in a situation (in Connecticut)where I can be successful," Raymond told me prior to Tuesday's game. "I loved every moment at Minnesota. The fans were great and very loyal, and the (Lynx) franchise was loyal to me. I just think it was time for me to move on."
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
No repeats here
Tuesday's nationally televised contest (ESPN2, 7:00 pm EDT) between the host Minnesota Lynx (6-1)and the visiting Connecticut Sun (7-1) is being billed locally as a clash between conference leaders -- the Sun is atop the East, and the surprising, youthful Lynx is in front in the West.
Also, the local papers as a rematch of the two teams that just played four days previously, a 78-77 Connecticut win.
However, for Minnesota Coach Don Zierden, he doesn't want to see a repeat of that last meeting.
It was the first time in this young season that Zierden was totally disappointed in his club's effort. "I thought they (the Sun) were quicker to the ball than we were," he recalls. "I thought we were slow in our (defensive) rotations. Offensively, I thought the stopped moving."
The Lynx finished with only 17 assists -- six from Seimone Augustus, who led her team with 22 points. "We can't have that with the makeup of our ball club," notes Zierden, who rather see his players get those set-up passes in the 20s.
Ashja Jones had a game-high 25 points for Connecticut, including the winning basket with 19 seconds left, which erased a five-point deficit in the last minute and a half.
Instead of seeing tonight's game as a clash of the so-called titans, "I'm worried about can we beat a team that beat us the other night, and beat us pretty handedly until we made a late run," says Coach Z.
No repeats here, thank you.
Lynx Bits --
Tuesday's night contest wraps up the season series between the two clubs: Connecticut holds a one-game edge (9-8) in the all-time series . . .
Minnesota leads the WNBA in shooting (46 percent), second in free throw attempts (around 25 a game) and third in free throw shooting (nearly 78 percent) . . .
The Lynx, however, is near the bottom in scoring defense (78.8 ppg, currently 12th in WNBA) -- last season, they were last in this category . . .
Also, the local papers as a rematch of the two teams that just played four days previously, a 78-77 Connecticut win.
However, for Minnesota Coach Don Zierden, he doesn't want to see a repeat of that last meeting.
It was the first time in this young season that Zierden was totally disappointed in his club's effort. "I thought they (the Sun) were quicker to the ball than we were," he recalls. "I thought we were slow in our (defensive) rotations. Offensively, I thought the stopped moving."
The Lynx finished with only 17 assists -- six from Seimone Augustus, who led her team with 22 points. "We can't have that with the makeup of our ball club," notes Zierden, who rather see his players get those set-up passes in the 20s.
Ashja Jones had a game-high 25 points for Connecticut, including the winning basket with 19 seconds left, which erased a five-point deficit in the last minute and a half.
Instead of seeing tonight's game as a clash of the so-called titans, "I'm worried about can we beat a team that beat us the other night, and beat us pretty handedly until we made a late run," says Coach Z.
No repeats here, thank you.
Lynx Bits --
Tuesday's night contest wraps up the season series between the two clubs: Connecticut holds a one-game edge (9-8) in the all-time series . . .
Minnesota leads the WNBA in shooting (46 percent), second in free throw attempts (around 25 a game) and third in free throw shooting (nearly 78 percent) . . .
The Lynx, however, is near the bottom in scoring defense (78.8 ppg, currently 12th in WNBA) -- last season, they were last in this category . . .
Monday, June 9, 2008
Coming of age moment
It was early Sunday evening in the fourth quarter -- "winning time," the pros call it, and the San Antonio Silver Stars had cut a deficit that reached as high as 13 points in the third quarter to just one on Becky Hammon's three-pointer.
But Minnesota, the WNBA's perennial youngest team, the 10th anniversity Lynx, immediately came back down and scored: rookie Charde Houston's driving lay-up from an Anna DeForge assist, to give her team a three-point cushion. Then Nicole Ohlde blocked a shot sparked a DeForge fast break layup from a feed by Seimone Augustus.
The home team now up by five points, and the visiting Silver Stars never got any closer.
That was a coming of age moment for Minnesota, who defeated San Antonio 90-78, to remain unbeaten at home this young season.
"Charles, you being an astute basketball guy -- you have been here through the process, when you got a lot of young players, there are two ways you could've done it," Lynx Head Coach Don Zierden disclosed afterwards. "You could've taken a time out and try to diagram a play, or you could've let them learn how to play basketball. I decided to let them learn how to play basketball."
Simply, this is called trust. This is called confidence. This is called a growing sign of maturity.
Minnesota is now 6-1. Each win brings about a little additional dose of confidence. Each time the players respond positively, as they did Sunday in that coming of age moment, returns the confidence and the trust the coach has in them.
"In previous years," explains Lynx center Vanessa Hayden-Johnson, a four-year veteran, "this team had lost and lost. Just like a fight, we get hit in the mouth and fall down. They (San Antonio) gave us their best shot, and we came back with it. I think now we have that."
"I think when we go through tough stretches," Coach Z continues, "sometimes the players need to figure it out. We have a bunch of young players, so now that is what we are going to do sometimes.
"We knew they (San Antonio) was in a zone, and we made the extra pass that time and got a layup, a good shot."
Minnesota's willingness to make those extra passes, to set up teammates for better shot opportunities, also is showing. The Lynx recorded 23 assists Sunday.
Unfortunately, stats aren't kept on 'extra passes' or 'passes that lead to passes that lead to assists.' "We need to get better, but we are making the extra pass," says Zierden. "You can hear the players on the bench, yelling it out. When one player finds success, it just breeds success on down the road. People want to make the extra pass."
Hayden-Johnson credits the youngsters for this. They arrived with the hungriness not seen in Lynxland for . . . frankly, I can't recall ever seeing it. They arrived not Mary Tyler Moore-type spunk, but with not-backing-down-from-anyone type spunk.
"We go at each other's throats at practice," she admits. "We are fighting. We are cussing each other out. But it is making us better."
That spunk carries over into games.
"Nicky Anosike, Charde (Houston) and the girls come in here so excited and they brought that," claims Hayden-Johnson. "That's addictive."
Zierden has been concerned about his team's play at late. They won a shootout last week at Atlanta, but struggled badly two days later at Connecticut, who handed the Lynx the only blemish on their season record.
"When you have such a young team," continues the coach, "you want to see where we are. I wanted to see how we would respond to a loss. When you have such a young team, you want to see where we are. I wanted to see how we would respond to a loss."
Coach Z liked what he saw. "I thought we came out and played hard. It was a good telling sign. Now we'll see what happens when we lose another game and come back and fight as hard as we did tonight."
A popular litmus test of a good team is how they bounced back from a crushing defeat. They did, but Coach Z won't take credit for this.
"It's about the players," he concludes. "It's always about the players."
FURTHERMORE --
Q-Tip: Second-year guard Noelle Quinn has been shooting 50 percent or better in her last four games, including a 4-for-6 performance, including hitting 3 of 4 three pointers Sunday. Quinn previously had gone 0-for4 from outside the arc. in her last five games. "Q was not playing as well as she thought she could in the first few games," says Zierden. "Instead of sulking about it, she got in the gym and worked extra hard. You see the dividends."
X-Files: A reporter Sunday asked Zierden about Charde Houston's X-factor role. "We have to have more than one X-factor for us to be successful," the coach quickly corrected the young man. "Charde has been great some games for us energy-wise. But Ras (forward Kristen Rasmussen) has stepped up some games. Vanessa had a great game against Phoenix (on May 31). There's a bunch of players who have been X-factors. You need that with a young ball club we have." Houston had 15 points (6-for-9 from the field) in 23 minutes in Sunday's win -- she's ranks 10th in the league in shooting (51 percent).
Still sitting: Shay Murphy spent her fifth game on the inactive list. She played a minute and a half against Atlanta June 3, misfiring on her only shot attempt but grabbed a rebound. It should be noted that the second-year player is not in any trouble -- she's using this time to improve her game under the coaches' tutelage.
Learning in progress: Top pick Candice Wiggins led Minnesota with 17 points. She only made two of eight shots from the field, but converted 13-of-14 from the line. "Candice is a very smart basketball player," notes her coach. "She's learning at this level that good teams like San Antonio will take away certain things. They were not going to let her shoot the three (Wiggins missed all four of her attempts). So she was able to turn the corner and get to the rim. She's learning how to play the game as the game is going on."
Proud parents: Charles and Alice Taylor came in from their home in Idaho to spend this week, visiting their daughter Angela Taylor, the Lynx business development vice-president. They watched and cheered their daughter's team to victory Sunday.
Congrats: Don and Anne Zierden celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversity Sunday.
But Minnesota, the WNBA's perennial youngest team, the 10th anniversity Lynx, immediately came back down and scored: rookie Charde Houston's driving lay-up from an Anna DeForge assist, to give her team a three-point cushion. Then Nicole Ohlde blocked a shot sparked a DeForge fast break layup from a feed by Seimone Augustus.
The home team now up by five points, and the visiting Silver Stars never got any closer.
That was a coming of age moment for Minnesota, who defeated San Antonio 90-78, to remain unbeaten at home this young season.
"Charles, you being an astute basketball guy -- you have been here through the process, when you got a lot of young players, there are two ways you could've done it," Lynx Head Coach Don Zierden disclosed afterwards. "You could've taken a time out and try to diagram a play, or you could've let them learn how to play basketball. I decided to let them learn how to play basketball."
Simply, this is called trust. This is called confidence. This is called a growing sign of maturity.
Minnesota is now 6-1. Each win brings about a little additional dose of confidence. Each time the players respond positively, as they did Sunday in that coming of age moment, returns the confidence and the trust the coach has in them.
"In previous years," explains Lynx center Vanessa Hayden-Johnson, a four-year veteran, "this team had lost and lost. Just like a fight, we get hit in the mouth and fall down. They (San Antonio) gave us their best shot, and we came back with it. I think now we have that."
"I think when we go through tough stretches," Coach Z continues, "sometimes the players need to figure it out. We have a bunch of young players, so now that is what we are going to do sometimes.
"We knew they (San Antonio) was in a zone, and we made the extra pass that time and got a layup, a good shot."
Minnesota's willingness to make those extra passes, to set up teammates for better shot opportunities, also is showing. The Lynx recorded 23 assists Sunday.
Unfortunately, stats aren't kept on 'extra passes' or 'passes that lead to passes that lead to assists.' "We need to get better, but we are making the extra pass," says Zierden. "You can hear the players on the bench, yelling it out. When one player finds success, it just breeds success on down the road. People want to make the extra pass."
Hayden-Johnson credits the youngsters for this. They arrived with the hungriness not seen in Lynxland for . . . frankly, I can't recall ever seeing it. They arrived not Mary Tyler Moore-type spunk, but with not-backing-down-from-anyone type spunk.
"We go at each other's throats at practice," she admits. "We are fighting. We are cussing each other out. But it is making us better."
That spunk carries over into games.
"Nicky Anosike, Charde (Houston) and the girls come in here so excited and they brought that," claims Hayden-Johnson. "That's addictive."
Zierden has been concerned about his team's play at late. They won a shootout last week at Atlanta, but struggled badly two days later at Connecticut, who handed the Lynx the only blemish on their season record.
"When you have such a young team," continues the coach, "you want to see where we are. I wanted to see how we would respond to a loss. When you have such a young team, you want to see where we are. I wanted to see how we would respond to a loss."
Coach Z liked what he saw. "I thought we came out and played hard. It was a good telling sign. Now we'll see what happens when we lose another game and come back and fight as hard as we did tonight."
A popular litmus test of a good team is how they bounced back from a crushing defeat. They did, but Coach Z won't take credit for this.
"It's about the players," he concludes. "It's always about the players."
FURTHERMORE --
Q-Tip: Second-year guard Noelle Quinn has been shooting 50 percent or better in her last four games, including a 4-for-6 performance, including hitting 3 of 4 three pointers Sunday. Quinn previously had gone 0-for4 from outside the arc. in her last five games. "Q was not playing as well as she thought she could in the first few games," says Zierden. "Instead of sulking about it, she got in the gym and worked extra hard. You see the dividends."
X-Files: A reporter Sunday asked Zierden about Charde Houston's X-factor role. "We have to have more than one X-factor for us to be successful," the coach quickly corrected the young man. "Charde has been great some games for us energy-wise. But Ras (forward Kristen Rasmussen) has stepped up some games. Vanessa had a great game against Phoenix (on May 31). There's a bunch of players who have been X-factors. You need that with a young ball club we have." Houston had 15 points (6-for-9 from the field) in 23 minutes in Sunday's win -- she's ranks 10th in the league in shooting (51 percent).
Still sitting: Shay Murphy spent her fifth game on the inactive list. She played a minute and a half against Atlanta June 3, misfiring on her only shot attempt but grabbed a rebound. It should be noted that the second-year player is not in any trouble -- she's using this time to improve her game under the coaches' tutelage.
Learning in progress: Top pick Candice Wiggins led Minnesota with 17 points. She only made two of eight shots from the field, but converted 13-of-14 from the line. "Candice is a very smart basketball player," notes her coach. "She's learning at this level that good teams like San Antonio will take away certain things. They were not going to let her shoot the three (Wiggins missed all four of her attempts). So she was able to turn the corner and get to the rim. She's learning how to play the game as the game is going on."
Proud parents: Charles and Alice Taylor came in from their home in Idaho to spend this week, visiting their daughter Angela Taylor, the Lynx business development vice-president. They watched and cheered their daughter's team to victory Sunday.
Congrats: Don and Anne Zierden celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversity Sunday.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Unfamiliar territory
Not in any time of its 10-year history the Minnesota Lynx have been in this position:
First place.
The team that finished tied last season with the league's worst record. The same team that only won a combined 20 games over the course of two summers, is the same team that is currently the WNBA's only unbeaten squad in less than a month of play.
"We are just here to win," says Lynx center Nicky Anosike.
One can excuse Anosike for her not dwelling on the past --- she wasn't around the last few years because she was winning consecutive championships at Tennessee.
The same for Candice Wiggins, who have spent the last four years compiling points on her way to becoming the Pac-10 and Stanford's all-time leading scorer. Ditto for Charde Houston, who spent her collegiate years at Connecticut.
Nonetheless, all three first-year players have played a huge role in the Lynx's early-season success: Anosike as a starter, and Wiggins and Houston providing strong bench support.
"It's fun to watch these players compete," Minnesota Coach Don Zierden marvels. "We knew (prior to drafting the three) that they were going to be high energy players. They have done everything we've asked of them, and exceeded expectations."
More importantly, Zierden is getting production from almost every Lynx player on this year's roster. "Every night a different player stepped up," he points out. "We are getting production from everybody in different ways."
Because of this, two-time All-Star Seimone Augustus' role has changed. She still is the team's marquee player, but she is no longer have to be its savior as well.
"I'm feeling great about the Lynx and what we are doing here," says Augustus. "I just hope that it continues throughout the season."
Zierden believes that it can: "Everybody has accepted their roles," he notes. "That's big right now."
And since the rookies have no knowledge of the past, they are putting it on.
"We know our roles," admits Anosike.
"I'm still learning," continues Wiggins, an early Rookie of the Year candidate, who has played some solid point guard since her arrival. The 5-11 rookie, who mostly played forward at Stanford, led all players with 12 assists in Minnesota's win over visiting Phoenix on the last day of May.
"I don't think people see me as a point guard," says Wiggins, "but I played a lot of point guard in college. I can do a lot better."
Houston, who was originally pegged as a defensive addition, has posted two double-double games thus far. "I have the ability to score," she remarked of her 18 point-13-rebound performance vs. Phoenix -- all in a reserve role.
While I am not calling for early downtown parade tickets, I do like Minnesota's start, and believe it eventually will lead the Lynx to its first playoff berth since 2004.
FURTHERMORE -- The U.S. Olympic women's basketball team is three-fourths set. Nine players, including Augustus and Phoenix's Cappie Pondexter, were selected May 31. The others include: Lisa Leslie, Katie Smith, Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Tina Thompson, Sylvia Fowles and Candace Parker. The roster mixes internationally experienced youth and veteran leadership.
"I love the combination of players that we have," says U.S. Olympic head coach Anne Donovan. "We've really covered the gamut in terms of experience and we have a tremendous balance of perimeter and post play."
USA Basketball Vice-President Renee Brown, who also chaired the selection committee, adds, "We know it will not be an easy road to the gold medal in Beijing -- the rest of the world has gotten much better over the last four years. However, we feel that this group will continue to represent their country with pride and honor and compete at the highest level that is expected when representing USA Basketball."
For Augustus, Fowles, Parker and Pondexter, this will be their first Olympic Games.
"It is definitely one of my goals I had growing up (was) to be part of the Olympic team," admits Pondexter, who plays for Phoenix in the WNBA. "I'm excited and looking forward to it."
"I wanted to win a national championship in college, but I think the Olympics is (at) the top of the women's game," believes Augustus. "It is going to be a very competitive field, but hopefully we can pull out with the gold."
Three more players are expected to be added to the USA squad by July 1.
First place.
The team that finished tied last season with the league's worst record. The same team that only won a combined 20 games over the course of two summers, is the same team that is currently the WNBA's only unbeaten squad in less than a month of play.
"We are just here to win," says Lynx center Nicky Anosike.
One can excuse Anosike for her not dwelling on the past --- she wasn't around the last few years because she was winning consecutive championships at Tennessee.
The same for Candice Wiggins, who have spent the last four years compiling points on her way to becoming the Pac-10 and Stanford's all-time leading scorer. Ditto for Charde Houston, who spent her collegiate years at Connecticut.
Nonetheless, all three first-year players have played a huge role in the Lynx's early-season success: Anosike as a starter, and Wiggins and Houston providing strong bench support.
"It's fun to watch these players compete," Minnesota Coach Don Zierden marvels. "We knew (prior to drafting the three) that they were going to be high energy players. They have done everything we've asked of them, and exceeded expectations."
More importantly, Zierden is getting production from almost every Lynx player on this year's roster. "Every night a different player stepped up," he points out. "We are getting production from everybody in different ways."
Because of this, two-time All-Star Seimone Augustus' role has changed. She still is the team's marquee player, but she is no longer have to be its savior as well.
"I'm feeling great about the Lynx and what we are doing here," says Augustus. "I just hope that it continues throughout the season."
Zierden believes that it can: "Everybody has accepted their roles," he notes. "That's big right now."
And since the rookies have no knowledge of the past, they are putting it on.
"We know our roles," admits Anosike.
"I'm still learning," continues Wiggins, an early Rookie of the Year candidate, who has played some solid point guard since her arrival. The 5-11 rookie, who mostly played forward at Stanford, led all players with 12 assists in Minnesota's win over visiting Phoenix on the last day of May.
"I don't think people see me as a point guard," says Wiggins, "but I played a lot of point guard in college. I can do a lot better."
Houston, who was originally pegged as a defensive addition, has posted two double-double games thus far. "I have the ability to score," she remarked of her 18 point-13-rebound performance vs. Phoenix -- all in a reserve role.
While I am not calling for early downtown parade tickets, I do like Minnesota's start, and believe it eventually will lead the Lynx to its first playoff berth since 2004.
FURTHERMORE -- The U.S. Olympic women's basketball team is three-fourths set. Nine players, including Augustus and Phoenix's Cappie Pondexter, were selected May 31. The others include: Lisa Leslie, Katie Smith, Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Tina Thompson, Sylvia Fowles and Candace Parker. The roster mixes internationally experienced youth and veteran leadership.
"I love the combination of players that we have," says U.S. Olympic head coach Anne Donovan. "We've really covered the gamut in terms of experience and we have a tremendous balance of perimeter and post play."
USA Basketball Vice-President Renee Brown, who also chaired the selection committee, adds, "We know it will not be an easy road to the gold medal in Beijing -- the rest of the world has gotten much better over the last four years. However, we feel that this group will continue to represent their country with pride and honor and compete at the highest level that is expected when representing USA Basketball."
For Augustus, Fowles, Parker and Pondexter, this will be their first Olympic Games.
"It is definitely one of my goals I had growing up (was) to be part of the Olympic team," admits Pondexter, who plays for Phoenix in the WNBA. "I'm excited and looking forward to it."
"I wanted to win a national championship in college, but I think the Olympics is (at) the top of the women's game," believes Augustus. "It is going to be a very competitive field, but hopefully we can pull out with the gold."
Three more players are expected to be added to the USA squad by July 1.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Just another long week
You got to hand it to the WNBA's scheduling gurus. Play a game one week. Play every other day the next.
This is the case for this year's Minnesota Lynx, who played their first game Sunday (a 84-70 home triumph over Detroit). Their next game isn't until May 27 at Houston, then two nights later at Chicago before returning home May 31 to host Phoenix, then off again to play the expansion Dream at Atlanta June 3, then to Connecticut to face the Sun June 6.
This isn't unusual, just Earth, Wind and Fire-type regular scheduling -- that's the way of the (WNBA) world.
But on the other hand, it gives Don Zierden and his staff is using this week basically as another week of training camp -- much-needed time to incorporate more stuff, improve on others, and continue to build player chemistry.
After Sunday's game, "We haven't put in half of our offense," says the coach. "We ran three plays the whole game."
After Tuesday's evening practice, Coach Z further told me about his plans for the week, "We get to work on a lot of concepts right now."
The Lynx picked up Sharnee' Zoll, a 5-7 rookie guard from Virginia, on Sunday. She cleared waivers after Minnesota claimed her last Friday after she was cut by Los Angeles, who drafted her as the 29th overall pick this spring, but couldn't be added until after the game.
As a result, to make room, Crystal Smith was waived -- she played only 19 seconds in Sunday's win. I wasn't that impressed with her, however.
Zierden says that Zoll has been on his talent radar for a while. "I personally has liked Sharnee' ever since I first saw her a year ago," he admits. "I think she (can) run the ball club and make everyone around her better.
"When we got to the third round, we were hoping tht she would slide through the draft," continues Zierden.
Zoll hit her only shot attempt, a three-pointer, against Minnesota in the final preseason game, a Los Angeles double-overtime win, at Grand Forks, N.D. on Mother's Day.
With Lindsay Harding still out indefinitely with an injury, Zierden believes Zoll may be a better backup point guard than Smith, who played two WNBA seasons, originally drafted by Phoenix in the third round of the 2006 Draft, then picked up by Houston last summer after the Mercury waived her.
Finally - - -
Shay Murphy, who was named inactive for Sunday's game, seems fine with Z's decision, according to the coach. The second-year guard "has taken the challenge of being inactive . . . She is really working hard in getting better."
Zierden isn't overly concerned about starting two-guard Anna DeForge, who made only one of four shots, and misfired on both her two trey attempts, in 24 minutes Sunday. "She (DeForge) never had 34 great games in Indiana (where the seven-year veteran played last summer)," notes the Minnesota coach. "Seimone (Augustus) don't have 34 great games."
DeForge only reported on May 10 after playing overseas, helping her club to a third straight title. "She is trying to get her legs underneath her after getting back from overseas," Zierden adds. Nonetheless, the 5-10 guard poses a constant outside scoring threat on the court, which opponents won't ignore.
This is the case for this year's Minnesota Lynx, who played their first game Sunday (a 84-70 home triumph over Detroit). Their next game isn't until May 27 at Houston, then two nights later at Chicago before returning home May 31 to host Phoenix, then off again to play the expansion Dream at Atlanta June 3, then to Connecticut to face the Sun June 6.
This isn't unusual, just Earth, Wind and Fire-type regular scheduling -- that's the way of the (WNBA) world.
But on the other hand, it gives Don Zierden and his staff is using this week basically as another week of training camp -- much-needed time to incorporate more stuff, improve on others, and continue to build player chemistry.
After Sunday's game, "We haven't put in half of our offense," says the coach. "We ran three plays the whole game."
After Tuesday's evening practice, Coach Z further told me about his plans for the week, "We get to work on a lot of concepts right now."
The Lynx picked up Sharnee' Zoll, a 5-7 rookie guard from Virginia, on Sunday. She cleared waivers after Minnesota claimed her last Friday after she was cut by Los Angeles, who drafted her as the 29th overall pick this spring, but couldn't be added until after the game.
As a result, to make room, Crystal Smith was waived -- she played only 19 seconds in Sunday's win. I wasn't that impressed with her, however.
Zierden says that Zoll has been on his talent radar for a while. "I personally has liked Sharnee' ever since I first saw her a year ago," he admits. "I think she (can) run the ball club and make everyone around her better.
"When we got to the third round, we were hoping tht she would slide through the draft," continues Zierden.
Zoll hit her only shot attempt, a three-pointer, against Minnesota in the final preseason game, a Los Angeles double-overtime win, at Grand Forks, N.D. on Mother's Day.
With Lindsay Harding still out indefinitely with an injury, Zierden believes Zoll may be a better backup point guard than Smith, who played two WNBA seasons, originally drafted by Phoenix in the third round of the 2006 Draft, then picked up by Houston last summer after the Mercury waived her.
Finally - - -
Shay Murphy, who was named inactive for Sunday's game, seems fine with Z's decision, according to the coach. The second-year guard "has taken the challenge of being inactive . . . She is really working hard in getting better."
Zierden isn't overly concerned about starting two-guard Anna DeForge, who made only one of four shots, and misfired on both her two trey attempts, in 24 minutes Sunday. "She (DeForge) never had 34 great games in Indiana (where the seven-year veteran played last summer)," notes the Minnesota coach. "Seimone (Augustus) don't have 34 great games."
DeForge only reported on May 10 after playing overseas, helping her club to a third straight title. "She is trying to get her legs underneath her after getting back from overseas," Zierden adds. Nonetheless, the 5-10 guard poses a constant outside scoring threat on the court, which opponents won't ignore.
Monday, May 19, 2008
No first game jitters on opening night
How fitting was the Minnesota Lynx's first victory in their first game of the 2008 season. They defeated Detroit, the same team the 10-year-old WNBA franchise defeated in their first-ever game.
Tonya Edwards, the Lynx's first All-Star, scored the franchise's first basket en route to a 20 point game in a 17-point win in June, 1999, was present to witness Sunday's 84-70 triumph over the visiting Shock, last season's WNBA runners-up. She, Charmin Smith and Sonja Tate, along with Katie Smith, now with Detroit, were recognized as members of that 1999 expansion squad before the game.
As for the game itself, the hosts stayed with Detroit all throughout the first half, despite at one point, trailing the Shock early by six points. But rookie forward Charde Houston came off the bench and hit her first four shots in the first quarter. The six-foot Houston, a third round pick from Connecticut, had an eventful week: she graduated from UConn on May 11, then leads all scorers a week later in her first professional game with 21 points.
"It's one thing to be able to graduate, wear a cap and gown and walk across the stage, and then come back and beat a team no one thought we could beat," says a surprising Houston. "It was a great week for me."
It was a game in which two-time All-Star Seimone Augustus shot only 6-of-14 for 14 points. "A year ago, it was Seimone in double figures, and no one else," noted Coach Don Zierden afterwards. Fast forward a year later, Minnesota gets four players scoring in double figures, with two rookies off the bench: Houston and Candice Wiggins leading the way.
"If we play hard, we can stay in ball games," adds Coach Z.
This was most evident in the third quarter when Minnesota squandered a seven-point lead early in the third quarter, and saw Detroit tie and take a one-point lead near the three-minute mark (56-55). That would be the Shock's last lead of the night, as Wiggins got fouled by Alexis Hornbuckle, who seconds earlier hit two free throws to give her club the advantage. The Lynx's top draft choice returned the favor by hitting her two free chances, and both rookies provided the team scoring for the rest of the quarter: seven points by Houston, and Wiggins adding four points, including a huge 18-footer buzzer beater that sucked any remaining life left in the visitors, to give Minnesota a 68-60 lead.
The final quarter was all Minnesota, as the hosts' lead once swelled to 15 points midway through the quarter on Augustus' 15-foot pull-up jumper -- she had six points in a three-minute span -- the shortest shot distance was her patented eight-foot runner.
Afterwards, as reporters tried to make a big deal of the win, Zierden kept his perspective. "We got 33 more (games) to go, but today we are encouraged," he advised the press corps. He still has one of the league's youngest club, even though they grew up a little Sunday -- "baby steps," Zierden called it. "There are a lot of R's (rookies) and a lot of one's (players just in their second year as pros)," he points out.
But clearly, at first glance, the Lynx have more to work with than last season:
--Rookie Nicky Anosike started at center and scored 11 points, with four boards and three steals: "I don't think she backs down," observes Zierden on the first-year player from Tennessee holding her hold against Detroit's Cheryl Ford and Kara Braxton.
--Wiggins' opening night pro performance (15 points, four steals, two assists) confirmed why Minnesota chose her with the third overall pick: "We expected that out of her," says Coach Z matter-of-fact
--Houston showing an offensive part of her game, which wasn't often seen at UConn: "She can get better, but she's learning," notes the Lynx second-year head coach. "I did a great job, thanks to my teammates," adds the rookie.
--Noelle Quinn (four assists, zero turnovers) continues to prove that she is the team's best point guard -- her leadership is slowly emerging
--More importantly, Minnesota won without big scoring from either Augustus or Nicole Ohlde (eight points), but both players hit big shots when needed. And virtually nothing from top free-agent signee Anna DeForge (1-for-4, two points in 24 minutes).
Because of a quirk in the scheduling, Minnesota doesn't play again until May 27, a two-game road trip (at Houston and at Chicago), before returning home to face Phoenix May 31.
The extra time will be put to good use, says Zierden. "We haven't put in half of our offense," he explains. Adds Quinn, "We have time to prepare for our next opponents. We (also) can work on a lot of things."
Finally, even though the Lynx played a Detroit club playing the back end of a back-to-back, if Minnesota can play nearly half as well the rest of the way, this 10th anniversary season can be the team's best.
"On paper," Zierden concludes, "we are not as experienced as other teams but we do have energy. We need to keep playing (with) intense energy."
Tonya Edwards, the Lynx's first All-Star, scored the franchise's first basket en route to a 20 point game in a 17-point win in June, 1999, was present to witness Sunday's 84-70 triumph over the visiting Shock, last season's WNBA runners-up. She, Charmin Smith and Sonja Tate, along with Katie Smith, now with Detroit, were recognized as members of that 1999 expansion squad before the game.
As for the game itself, the hosts stayed with Detroit all throughout the first half, despite at one point, trailing the Shock early by six points. But rookie forward Charde Houston came off the bench and hit her first four shots in the first quarter. The six-foot Houston, a third round pick from Connecticut, had an eventful week: she graduated from UConn on May 11, then leads all scorers a week later in her first professional game with 21 points.
"It's one thing to be able to graduate, wear a cap and gown and walk across the stage, and then come back and beat a team no one thought we could beat," says a surprising Houston. "It was a great week for me."
It was a game in which two-time All-Star Seimone Augustus shot only 6-of-14 for 14 points. "A year ago, it was Seimone in double figures, and no one else," noted Coach Don Zierden afterwards. Fast forward a year later, Minnesota gets four players scoring in double figures, with two rookies off the bench: Houston and Candice Wiggins leading the way.
"If we play hard, we can stay in ball games," adds Coach Z.
This was most evident in the third quarter when Minnesota squandered a seven-point lead early in the third quarter, and saw Detroit tie and take a one-point lead near the three-minute mark (56-55). That would be the Shock's last lead of the night, as Wiggins got fouled by Alexis Hornbuckle, who seconds earlier hit two free throws to give her club the advantage. The Lynx's top draft choice returned the favor by hitting her two free chances, and both rookies provided the team scoring for the rest of the quarter: seven points by Houston, and Wiggins adding four points, including a huge 18-footer buzzer beater that sucked any remaining life left in the visitors, to give Minnesota a 68-60 lead.
The final quarter was all Minnesota, as the hosts' lead once swelled to 15 points midway through the quarter on Augustus' 15-foot pull-up jumper -- she had six points in a three-minute span -- the shortest shot distance was her patented eight-foot runner.
Afterwards, as reporters tried to make a big deal of the win, Zierden kept his perspective. "We got 33 more (games) to go, but today we are encouraged," he advised the press corps. He still has one of the league's youngest club, even though they grew up a little Sunday -- "baby steps," Zierden called it. "There are a lot of R's (rookies) and a lot of one's (players just in their second year as pros)," he points out.
But clearly, at first glance, the Lynx have more to work with than last season:
--Rookie Nicky Anosike started at center and scored 11 points, with four boards and three steals: "I don't think she backs down," observes Zierden on the first-year player from Tennessee holding her hold against Detroit's Cheryl Ford and Kara Braxton.
--Wiggins' opening night pro performance (15 points, four steals, two assists) confirmed why Minnesota chose her with the third overall pick: "We expected that out of her," says Coach Z matter-of-fact
--Houston showing an offensive part of her game, which wasn't often seen at UConn: "She can get better, but she's learning," notes the Lynx second-year head coach. "I did a great job, thanks to my teammates," adds the rookie.
--Noelle Quinn (four assists, zero turnovers) continues to prove that she is the team's best point guard -- her leadership is slowly emerging
--More importantly, Minnesota won without big scoring from either Augustus or Nicole Ohlde (eight points), but both players hit big shots when needed. And virtually nothing from top free-agent signee Anna DeForge (1-for-4, two points in 24 minutes).
Because of a quirk in the scheduling, Minnesota doesn't play again until May 27, a two-game road trip (at Houston and at Chicago), before returning home to face Phoenix May 31.
The extra time will be put to good use, says Zierden. "We haven't put in half of our offense," he explains. Adds Quinn, "We have time to prepare for our next opponents. We (also) can work on a lot of things."
Finally, even though the Lynx played a Detroit club playing the back end of a back-to-back, if Minnesota can play nearly half as well the rest of the way, this 10th anniversary season can be the team's best.
"On paper," Zierden concludes, "we are not as experienced as other teams but we do have energy. We need to keep playing (with) intense energy."
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Enough already!
Rev. Jeremiah Wright has become Sen. Barack Obama's Willie Horton. Sadly, it shouldn't be this way.
America claims to be the land of free speech, but when someone say something we don't like, we are quick to condemn and criticize. I heard the entire speech that Wright gave Monday at the National Press Club in Washington. Some of it I may had some problems, but for the most part, I had no problem with he said because he got the chance to say his peace entirely, not in 30-second sound bytes. I also heard the entire question-and-answer period, in which many of the questions were asinine at worst, and sophomoric at best. The journalists there generally weren' t interested in hearing his side, but were mainly disappointed that Wright didn't fall on his sword, or came in on his hands and knees, begging for mainstream forgiveness.
All they wanted was some quick quips to use, to create more distractions from the campaign. To make news, when there wasn't any to make.
It proves two things: One, America isn't ready for a Black man or woman in the White House. And two, that all Black people aren't joined by the hip.
Why should Obama be held responsible for what his former pastor says? Should the Illinois senator run, tackle and mussel Wright?
Was Ronald Reagan held responsible for what the late Rev. Jerry Farwell said during his campaign? Did the press take Reagan to task for kicking off his presidential campaign at a Confederate landmark?
Of course not. We all know that all Whites do not think or speak alike. However, this right never has been extended to Blacks in this country.
The mainstream press, which too often serves as America's information gatekeepers -- a role too many Americans have allowed them to assume, doesn't want to present the entire picture, the entire speech, along with stupid questions, to put Wright's words in its entire context, and allow the public to decide what he said is controversial or not.
And even if it, report it and move on. When it is someone White, they do.
This has become a live version of "The Defiant Ones," a movie that had Sidney Politer and Tony Curtis shackled to each other, with Obama playing Poitier and Wright assuming the Curtis role.
During Monday's speech, Wright pointed out that journalists don't read. I agree. They certainly haven't read Voltaire, which I did in college.
I paraphrase: I may not agree with what you say, but I defend your right to say it.
Enough, already.
America claims to be the land of free speech, but when someone say something we don't like, we are quick to condemn and criticize. I heard the entire speech that Wright gave Monday at the National Press Club in Washington. Some of it I may had some problems, but for the most part, I had no problem with he said because he got the chance to say his peace entirely, not in 30-second sound bytes. I also heard the entire question-and-answer period, in which many of the questions were asinine at worst, and sophomoric at best. The journalists there generally weren' t interested in hearing his side, but were mainly disappointed that Wright didn't fall on his sword, or came in on his hands and knees, begging for mainstream forgiveness.
All they wanted was some quick quips to use, to create more distractions from the campaign. To make news, when there wasn't any to make.
It proves two things: One, America isn't ready for a Black man or woman in the White House. And two, that all Black people aren't joined by the hip.
Why should Obama be held responsible for what his former pastor says? Should the Illinois senator run, tackle and mussel Wright?
Was Ronald Reagan held responsible for what the late Rev. Jerry Farwell said during his campaign? Did the press take Reagan to task for kicking off his presidential campaign at a Confederate landmark?
Of course not. We all know that all Whites do not think or speak alike. However, this right never has been extended to Blacks in this country.
The mainstream press, which too often serves as America's information gatekeepers -- a role too many Americans have allowed them to assume, doesn't want to present the entire picture, the entire speech, along with stupid questions, to put Wright's words in its entire context, and allow the public to decide what he said is controversial or not.
And even if it, report it and move on. When it is someone White, they do.
This has become a live version of "The Defiant Ones," a movie that had Sidney Politer and Tony Curtis shackled to each other, with Obama playing Poitier and Wright assuming the Curtis role.
During Monday's speech, Wright pointed out that journalists don't read. I agree. They certainly haven't read Voltaire, which I did in college.
I paraphrase: I may not agree with what you say, but I defend your right to say it.
Enough, already.
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