# WNBA News 8/22



## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Candice Dupree named to WNBA All-Rookie team*

CHICAGO - Chicago Sky stand out Candice Dupree was named to the 2006 WNBA All-Rookie team. Dupree, who led the Sky in points with 13.7 points per game, joins Minnesota Lynx guard and 2006 Rookie of the Year Seimone Augustus, Phoenix Mercury guard Cappie Pondexter, San Antonio Silver Stars forward Sophia Young and Charlotte Sting forward Monique Currie to the team.

Dupree joined the Sky when she was selected sixth overall in the 2006 WNBA Draft. She led the rookie class in blocked shots with 25 and averaged 13.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, and was the Sky's only player selected to the All-Star team, where she scored eight points in the East's 98-82 victory against the West. Dupree scored a season-high 25 points against Indiana on July 30.

Considered one of the strongest rookie classes in WNBA history, Augustus, Pondexter, Dupree and Young were unanimous choices for the All-Rookie Team. Currie followed closely behind with eight votes.

The voting panel consisted of the WNBA's 14 head coaches, who were asked to select five players, regardless of position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players on their own team.

The Chicago Sky is the 14th team in the WNBA and is led by General Manager and Head Coach Dave Cowens, a member of the NBA Hall of Fame. For more information, www.chicagosky.net.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Sparks in driver's seat*

Now, it's Seattle's turn to respond.

The Sparks looked beaten for a little while Sunday during Game 2 of the WNBA Western Conference semifinal playoffs at the Staples Center.

After shooting 52.6 percent from the field, converting 5 of 7 3-pointers and seemingly out hustling the Sparks to every ball in the first quarter, the Storm (19-17) built a 15-point lead in the second. But Seattle allowed an opportunity to knock off the regular-season conference champs and advance to meet Sacramento in the finals escape.

"This is a battle every time we play L.A. It`s a great series, both teams match up very well," Seattle coach Anne Donovan said about how she expected the Sparks to respond to their Game 1 loss. 

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Bird all set to play on Tuesday*

Seattle Storm point guard Sue Bird did not break her nose and has been cleared by doctors to play in Game 3 of the WNBA playoffs Tuesday night in Los Angeles, the team reported.

Bird's face injury, suffered during Sunday's loss to West Coast rival, the Los Angeles Sparks, turns out to be a contusion, not a break, according to the team's blog.

Bird left Game 2 at the Staples Center with 54.1 seconds to play after the Sparks' Tamara Moore inadvertently elbowed her in the nose while trying to pass.

The Storm point guard fell to her knees on the court as blood spurted from her nose. Bird was taken to Centinela Hospital in nearby Inglewood for observation.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Douglas Doubtful For Series Against The Shock*

Connecticut Sun forward Katie Douglas was diagnosed Monday with a non-displaced hairline fracture in her right foot.

The injury occurred when Douglas tried to hit a layup with 55 seconds left in the Sun's 68-65 victory over the Washington Mystics Sunday in Game 2 of the WNBA Eastern Conference semifinals. It was diagnosed following a CT scan and an MRI Monday morning at Backus Hospital in Norwich.

Douglas, the team's leading scorer and the MVP of the All-Star game, has been listed as "doubtful" for the Sun's upcoming Eastern Conference championship series against the Detroit Shock. She will not play in Thursday's series opener at Detroit and her condition will be monitored as the playoffs go on. The Shock swept the season series with the Sun, 3-0.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Sun's Douglas likely done for playoffs*

Katie Douglas is likely out for the remainder of this postseason after a non-displaced hairline fracture in her right foot was discovered Monday.

The Connecticut Sun’s leading scorer was injured in the final minute of Sunday’s first round series-clinching win against the Washington Mystics. The injury was officially diagnosed after a computed tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed Monday at Backus Hospital in Norwich.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Seattle ready to battle Sparks, hostile crowd*

LOS ANGELES – It’s one thing to be booed before a game, but at practice?

That was the sound the Seattle Storm players heard as they took the court Monday at Staples Center.

The hoots came from a handful of people left over from the Los Angeles Sparks’ workout. Seattle was holding its only practice before today’s deciding game in the best-of-three WNBA playoff series (7 p.m., ESPN2). The winner moves on to the Western Conference Finals against Sacramento.

“It’s tough to win games on the road, especially in the playoffs,” Seattle guard Sue Bird said after the workout Monday. “They booed us in warm-ups, which I’ve never even experienced. We laughed – we were warming up with a smile on our face.”

Another good reason for the Storm players to smile is that Bird will play tonight. It was feared the All-Star guard had suffered a broken nose when she was accidentally smacked by an elbow from LA guard Tamara Moore with 54.1 seconds remaining Sunday in the Sparks’ 78-70 win in Game 2.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Charlotte's Currie on all-rookie team*

Charlotte Sting guard Monique Currie was named to the WNBA All-Rookie team.

The team, in a vote of the league's 14 coaches, also includes Seimone Augustus (Minnesota), Cappie Pondexter (Phoenix), Sophia Young (San Antonio) and Candice Dupree (Chicago).

Currie, a former Duke star picked third in the WNBA draft, averaged 10 points, three rebounds and 2.6 assists, and started 33 of 34 games. She led all rookies and was fourth in the WNBA in free throws made (149).

"Monique is a player with tremendous talent and potential," coach Muggsy Bogues said. "As she continues to develop, she will be a force in this league for many years to come."

Currie had 15 games in double-figure scoring, and seven times led the Sting in scoring. She had season highs of 22 points and eight rebounds.

Currie, a Washington native, helped Duke reach the Women's Final Four last spring, and was a Kodak All-American.

Complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Bench play vital for Connecticut*

In his acceptance speech upon receiving league Coach of the Year honors, Mike Thibault talked about how the Connecticut Sun have improved their depth. It's been a goal since his hire as head coach March 7, 2003 and proved vital this season by winning 11 of 12 games without franchise-leading scorer Nykesha Sales.

An even greater challenge could be awaiting the Sun for the duration of their playoff run.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Sales is struggling to find her touch*

Nykesha Sales raised both hands to sky as if to say, "Finally."

Never did making a basket look more difficult for the seventh-leading scorer in league history.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Thibault's earned honor*

Let's hear it for Mike Thibault. The coach of the Connecticut Sun has been named WNBA Coach of the Year, and he richly deserves the distinction.

The Sun is looking for its third-straight appearance in the WNBA Finals -- and its first title. Thibault is in his fourth year coaching the team.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Teasley gives Washington a bright outlook*

Nikki Teasley may best be remembered for a shot she hit four years ago this month. A return to where she grew up, on a team capable of future playoff appearances, may lead to her next well-known moment.

Teasley was the main piece in arguably the WNBA’s biggest offseason move, which saw the fifth-year point guard switch coasts in a three-player deal also involving two first-round draft picks. Leaving behind Los Angeles — which won its 2002 league title on the strength of her buzzer-beating 3-pointer — Teasley headed back to the nation’s capital to play for the Washington Mystics.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Sun's All-Star guard likely out vs. Shock*

Connecticut Sun guard Katie Douglas has a hairline fracture in her right foot and is doubtful for the rest of the WNBA playoffs.

Douglas was injured in the final minute of the Sun's first-round, series-winning victory Sunday against Washington. The All-Star game MVP averaged 16.4 points in the regular season. The injury occurred as Douglas was driving for a lay-up against Washington's Alana Beard.

"It's obviously a big loss for our team," coach Mike Thibault said Monday. "She has been an integral part of our success."

The Sun, which reached the conference finals for the fourth consecutive year, will play Detroit in Game 1 at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Palace.

Complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*L.A. hoping to enjoy comforts of home*

After the Sparks tied up the WNBA Western Conference semifinal playoffs Sunday, it's time for the Seattle Storm to respond.

Seattle almost made quick work of the Sparks in Game 2, shooting 52.6 percent from the field and converting 5 of 7 3-pointers in the first quarter.

The Storm (19-17) built up momentum and led 40-33 at halftime, but was not able to sustain its intensity in the second half. The Sparks (26-10) outscored the Storm, 45-30 and went on for a 78-70 victory.

If the regular season is an indication, the odds are in favor of the Sparks (26-10) to move on. They are 16-2 at Staples Center. 

Complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Rookie Willis makes Sparks sit up and take notice of her*

Rookies get a certain amount of grief from their teammates. It comes with the territory.

Ask Lisa Willis.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Storm focused on closing out series*

They gathered on Monday evening for what will either be called the last supper or your standard team dinner. The outcome of tonight's decisive Game 3 at Staples Center will determine the tag.

The fourth-seeded Storm faces elimination from the first round of the WNBA postseason for the second straight year, playing a top-seeded Los Angeles team that was booted in the opening round the past two summers.

To give her team a break and some time to unite during their unwanted extended stay in Southern California, Storm coach Anne Donovan treated everyone to dinner.

The atmosphere Monday was much livelier than Sunday night, knowing that guard Sue Bird had not suffered her third broken nose as feared. And at Monday's practice, players had been able to work out some kinks that led to blowing a big lead in the Game 2 loss.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Bird's nose is not broken*

Storm point guard Sue Bird was diagnosed with a nose contusion after being examined by a Manhattan Beach, Calif., doctor on Monday.

Because there was no break to her orbital bone or nose, she doesn't have to wear the protective facemask from past seasons. However, Bird said she will don the gear in Game 3 tonight so that she can "take more chances" without being concerned about further injury.

Bird sustained the contusion Sunday with 54 seconds remaining in Seattle's Game 2 loss at Los Angeles when Sparks guard Tamara Moore inadvertently whacked Bird in the face with her elbow. Bird collapsed to the court and dripped blood, fearing a break, which would have been her third broken nose in the past three seasons.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Bird cleared to play Tuesday night*

When Storm guard Sue Bird took an elbow to the nose in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 78-70 loss to the Sparks, a rush of doubt and terror outdid the stream of blood, sweat and tears pouring down her face.

Had the All-Star ball-handler fractured her nose for the third time in three years?

Would the Storm's tenuous playoff fate turn south on the misfortune of Bird's broken beak?

No, according to the medical opinion of a specialist who examined her Monday and labeled the injury a contusion. Bird is cleared to play tonight in the loser-out Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Sun Sets On Douglas' Breakthrough Season*

The diagnosis of Katie Douglas' right foot was a mix of good news and bad news for both her and the Connecticut Sun.

The good news was that Douglas was diagnosed Monday with a non-displaced hairline fracture in her right foot. It was nothing worse, such as an Achilles' tendon tear, which would have put her career on hold.

The bad news is that Douglas is doubtful for the rest of the WNBA playoffs, leaving the Sun without their best perimeter shooter and defender.

Connecticut begins its best-of-three Eastern Conference finals series at the Detroit Shock Thursday at the Palace of Auburn Hills (7:30 p.m.). The Shock won all three regular-season meetings.

Complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Sky's Dupree named to All-Rookie team*

The Sky's Candice Dupree on Monday was named to the WNBA's All-Rookie team.

Dupree led the expansion Sky in scoring, averaging 13.7 points per game, and was first among the league's rookies with 2 blocked shots.

Dupree was joined on the All-Rookie team by former Marshall High School star Cappie Pondexter of the Phoenix Mercury, Rookie of the Year Seimone Augustus of the Minnesota Lynx, Sophia Young of the San Antonio Silver Stars and Monique Currie of the Charlotte Sting.

complete article


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