# WNBA News 8/20



## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*WNBA Names 2006 All-Rookie Team*

New York, August 20, 2006 - Minnesota Lynx guard Seimone Augustus, the league's 2006 Rookie of the Year is joined by Phoenix Mercury guard Cappie Pondexter, Chicago Sky center Candice Dupree, San Antonio Silver Stars forward Sophia Young and Charlotte Sting forward Monique Currie on the 2006 WNBA All-Rookie team, the league announced today.

As the unquestioned leaders of one of the strongest rookie classes in WNBA history, Augustus, Pondexter, Dupree and Young - each of whom also was selected to participate in the league's mid-season All-Star Game - 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.

Augustus, the first overall pick in the 2006 Draft, ranked second in the league overall and tops among rookies in scoring with an average of 21.9 points per game. She also led all rookies in field goals made and attempted (283 - 620) and free throw percentage (89.7).

Pondexter, the second pick in the draft, followed closely behind with 19.5 points per game, second among rookies and tied for fourth overall. She also joined WNBA legends Cynthia Cooper and Sheryl Swoopes as only the third player in league history to register back-to-back 30-point games.

The sixth overall draft pick, Dupree, led the rookie class in blocked shots with 25 and averaged 13.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while Young, the fourth pick, led all first-year players in rebounds with 257 and averaged 12.0 points and 1.68 steals per game. Young's 85 offensive rebounds ranked fourth overall in the league while her 257 rebounds and 7 double-doubles ranked fifth and sixth, respectively. Currie, the third overall draft pick, averaged 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 steals per game, and made the fourth most free throws (149) in the league.

Below are the results for the 2006 WNBA All-Rookie Team:

2006 WNBA ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

Seimone Augustus Minnesota Lynx Guard 13

Cappie Pondexter Phoenix Mercury Guard 13

Candice Dupree Chicago Sky Center 13

Sophia Young San Antonio Silver Stars Forward 13

Monique Currie Charlotte Sting Forward 8


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Monarchs Advance to Western Conference Finals*

SACRAMENTO, CALIF., Aug. 19, 2006 - The Sacramento Monarchs have announced that the team will advance to the Western Conference Finals for the fourth consecutive season. Tickets for the Monarchs second round game 2A are on sale now. The official date, time and opponent of the game will be announced following the outcome of the Los Angeles vs. Seattle first round series. Home court advantage will also be determined by the outcome of the Los Angeles vs. Seattle series. Possible home games are listed below:

Game 1 - Thursday, August 24, 7 p.m. (@ Sacramento if vs. L.A.)

Game 2 - Saturday, August 26, 6 p.m. (@ Sacramento if vs. Seattle)

Game 3 - Sunday, August 27, time TBD (@ Sacramento if vs. Seattle, if necessary)

The quickest and most convenient way to purchase tickets for game 2A of the Western Conference Finals at ARCO Arena is by visiting SacramentoMonarchs.com.

Tickets are also available by calling the Ticketmaster Charge-By-Phone at (916) 649-TIXS, (530) 528-TIXS or (209) 551-TIXS or by visiting the ARCO Arena Box Office, open Monday thru Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and any Sacramento area Ticketmaster location.

Ticket on-sale information for future home playoff games will be posted as it becomes available at SacramentoMonarchs.com.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Monique Currie Named to WNBA All-Rookie Team*

August 20, 2006 - Charlotte Sting guard/forward Monique Currie was named a member of the 2006 WNBA All-Rookie Team it was announced today.

Currie joins Minnesota Lynx guard Seimone Augustus, Phoenix Mercury guard Cappie Pondexter, San Antonio Silver Stars forward Sophia Young and Chicago Sky forward Candice Dupree on the five-member team chosen by the 14 WNBA head coaches.

"This is a great honor for Monique and one that is very well deserved," said Charlotte Sting Head Coach Muggsy Bogues. "Monique is a player with tremendous talent and potential. As she continues to develop she will be a force in this league for many years to come."

Selected by the Sting with the third overall pick in the 2006 WNBA Draft, Currie averaged 10.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 steals in 24.8 minutes during her rookie campaign. She finished the year ranked fifth among rookies in scoring, third in rebounds and second in assists. She also led all rookies and finished fourth in the WNBA in free throws made (149).

In addition, she concluded the season ranked sixth among rookies and 20th in the league in free throw percentage (.810) and seventh among rookies in steals (1.0).

The 6-0 guard/forward had one of her best performances of the season on June 15 against the Washington Mystics as she posted a season-high 22 points on 13-16 shooting along with seven rebounds and three assists. Her 16 free throw attempts were the most by any player in the WNBA this season.

Currie posted 15 double-figure point totals during the season and led the team in the scoring column on seven different occasions. During a five-game stretch from July 29 to August 5, she posted five straight double-figure games and averaged 15.4 points, going 39-46 from the free throw line during that span. She also posted a season-high eight rebounds on July 30 at Washington during that stretch.

In addition, she led the team in assists 12 different times during the season, dishing out a season-high five assists twice, most recently in the Sting's win over the Chicago Sky on August 12.

Bobcats Sports & Entertainment owns and operates the Charlotte Bobcats (NBA), the Charlotte Sting (WNBA), and operates the widely-acclaimed Charlotte Bobcats Arena located in downtown Charlotte.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Minnesota's Seimone Augustus Named 2006 WNBA Rookie of the Year*

NEW YORK, August 20, 2006 - The WNBA announced today that Seimone Augustus of the Minnesota Lynx has been named the 2006 WNBA Rookie of the Year. Augustus received 34 out of a possible 56 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The honor capped an outstanding rookie campaign in which Augustus also was selected to participate in the WNBA All-Star Game and took home the top prize in the Dribble, Dish & Swish Challenge, a skills contest that preceded the mid-season classic.

In one of the best rookie seasons in WNBA history, Augustus, the first overall selection in the 2006 Draft, started all 34 games for the Lynx and finished the year ranked second in the league in points (21.9 per game) and field-goal attempts (620), third in minutes played (1124) and fifth in free-throw percentage (89.7).

Augustus led Minnesota in scoring with 744 points, a figure more than twice that of the next highest scorer (327 by Nicole Ohlde). In the process, she also set Lynx single-season records for points in a season and most field-goals made (283), breaking the marks previously held by WNBA All-Decade Team member Katie Smith (739 points in 2001 and 208 field-goals made in 2003). The Baton Rouge, LA product notched six games of 30-points or more and led the Lynx in scoring in 27 of their 34 games, including the first nine contests.

Among WNBA rookies, Augustus ranked first in scoring, field goals made and attempted (283 - 620) and free-throw percentage.

The second consecutive Louisiana State University grad to earn the top Rookie honor - Temeka Johnson claimed the title last season - Augustus led the Lady Tigers to three NCAA Final Four appearances in four years. At LSU she captured back-to-back National Player of the Year awards including the Wade Trophy, John R. Wooden Award, Associated Press and Naismith Award in 2005 and 2006.

As the WNBA Rookie of the Year, Augustus will receive a Tiffany-designed trophy and $5,000.

Below are the complete results of the 2006 WNBA Rookie of the Year voting, followed by a list of previous winners:

2006 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR RESULTS

34 Seimone Augustus Minnesota Lynx 20 Cappie Pondexter Phoenix Mercury 2 Sophia Young San Antonio Silver Stars

PAST ROOKIE OF THE YEAR WINNERS

2006 Seimone Augustus Minnesota Lynx 2005 Temeka Johnson Washington Mystics 2004 Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury 2003 Cheryl Ford Detroit Shock 2002 Tamika Catchings Indiana Fever 2001 Jackie Stiles Portland Fire 2000 Betty Lennox Minnesota Lynx 1999 Chamique Holdsclaw Washington Mystics 1998 Tracy Reid Charlotte Sting


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*For Now, Her Scoring Isn't A Sun Priority*

Nykesha Sales had the ball on the perimeter in the fourth quarter Friday night. She faked her defender. Faked her again. Hesitated.

The whistle blew, a three-second call on the Connecticut Sun. Asjha Jones had stayed in the paint too long, waiting for Sales to shoot.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Douglas Says Her Heart's With Sun*

Sun coach Mike Thibault said he generally gets a few phone calls a year from Indiana about trading Katie Douglas to the Fever.

"And I say, `Would you trade us Tamika Catchings?'" Thibault said last week. "And that ends the discussion. They call every year. She's a hometown hero."

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*It's prime time for Whalen*

WASHINGTON -- Lindsay Whalen caught a pass in the corner and delivered a perfect stroke for a 3-pointer. When the defense sagged off her just enough on the next possession, Whalen threw up another 3 and watched it swish as if that was happening all season.

She started the game with a scoop layup after driving the baseline.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Balance key for Sun*

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Nykesha Sales sat back in her chair, oozing a sense of relaxation. She knew the trip home was going to be a good one.

The WNBA playoff system may have its flaws, but starting on the road as a higher-seeded team doesn't seem so bad after coming away with the victory.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Shock finishes off Fever*

Bodies crashed against the court so violently and at such a fast pace, the Palace hard court might be due for a floor job.

It did a number on Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings, who smacked her head on the floor during the third quarter and almost didn't return.

Tempers flared, technical fouls piled up, elbows were thrown and ESPN2 probably should have used a five-second delay in its broadcast when it decided to put a microphone on Shock coach Bill Laimbeer.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Staley ready to move forward*

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. - Guard Dawn Staley was one of the last to leave the locker room Saturday after a 92-64 loss to Sacramento ended the Comets' season and her WNBA career.

It wasn't because Staley wanted to savor the moment or ponder her future. Retirement for someone who has meant so much to women's basketball during a 17-year career full of achievement carries with it an obligation to meet with the media and discuss what has transpired and what lies ahead.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Comets overwhelmed by Monarchs again*

Dominant teams define the sport in which they compete.

Complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Indiana believes it can break into upper echelon*

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Because of the nature of the WNBA -- a four-month, 34-game summer -- teams that keep players together longest win the most.

An exception were the Detroit Shock, who took the 2003 championship with young talent. The core of that team -- Cheryl Ford, Swin Cash, Deanna Nolan, Ruth Riley -- could produce another championship in 2006.
The Indiana Fever, who were swept 2-0 via a 98-83 playoff loss to the Shock on Saturday, will return a core group in 2007. That has never before happened in the franchise's seven-year history.
This year the Fever had three new starters -- Tamika Whitmore, Anna DeForge and Ebony Hoffman -- and eight players not on the 2005 roster.
The Fever led the Eastern Conference at the midpoint of the season with a 12-5 record but were 9-10 thereafter (including the playoffs).

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Fever shocked out of playoffs*

Associated Press AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Cheryl Ford had 23 points and 10 rebounds to help the Detroit Shock overcome a playoff-record 41 points from Tamika Whitmore and eliminate the Indiana Fever with a 98-83 victory in Game 2 of their first-round series Saturday night

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Willis is a Spark for L.A.*

LOS ANGELES - For the first half of the season, Long Beach native Lisa Willis received little or no time on the floor, sometimes even sitting on the bench in street clothes in front of fans, family and friends in the stands at Staples Center.

Now, Willis' minutes have increased significantly as she has become a zone-defense buster and solid defender on the perimeter, the latter a problem area for the Sparks last year. She is one of many role players who have made life on the court a lot easier for key players like Lisa Leslie and Chamique Holdsclaw. Her contributions played an instrumental role in helping Los Angles (25-10) win the Western Conference regular-season crown. 

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Bryant, Sparks not worried*

Despite losing their playoff opener at Seattle, the Sparks aren't worried.

"We're going to come out ready on Sunday (for Game 2 in Los Angeles)," Sparks coach Joe Bryant said after his top-seeded team lost 84-72 to the fourth-seeded Storm in Game1 of their best-of-three Western Conference series Friday night.

Bryant has reason for optimism. Teams have lost the opening game before coming back to win a best-of-three series 14times in league history. It has happened in each of the previous eight years, including the first round last summer when Seattle lost the last two against Houston. Also, the Sparks were 15-2 at home during the season, though one of the losses was to the Storm.

Former MVP Lauren Jackson had 22 points and ninerebounds and Janell Burse, starting for the first time this season, added 17 points to lead Seattle. 

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Offseason decisions key to righting Lynx*

As the Minnesota Lynx zoom into the offseason, there will be a tendency to distance themselves from a disastrous 2006 season that started as one of great expectations, but ended with the team engulfed in uncertainty.

The Lynx face perhaps the most important offseason of their eight-year history. This week, the Lynx begin a search for a coach to replace Suzie McConnell Serio, who led Minnesota to its only two playoff berths (2003 and '04). She resigned July 23 in the wake of mounting frustrations, and seemingly, a roster of players that quit playing for her.

Carolyn Jenkins, McConnell Serio's replacement for the remainder of the season, guided the Lynx to a 2-9 mark. She is expected to be a long-shot candidate.

"In finding a coach, the decision is an important one,'' Lynx chief operating officer Roger Griffith said. "It will establish the future of the team. With a new coach, we will find out what the team will look like.''

Griffith won't reveal a timeline to hire a coach nor will he be rushed into making a decision.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Storm Notebook: Reserves ride to the rescue*

The Storm bench has been an enigma this season.

The group dubbed "B-Unit" has had more ups and downs than an amusement park. Injuries to forward Wendy Palmer (left Achilles) and guard Shaunzinski Gortman (right ACL) haven't helped. Even mainstays expected to produce, including veteran center Tiffani Johnson, second-year guard Tanisha Wright and rookie forward Barbara Turner, were unpredictable.

But even their unpredictably is deceptive.

While only Johnson provided significant statistics in Game 1 against Los Angeles on Friday, finishing with 10 points and four rebounds in 21 minutes, the group was productive despite being outscored 22-11 by the Sparks' reserves and outrebounded 10-6.

Turner grabbed a critical defensive rebound with 1:29 remaining to keep the Sparks from cutting the deficit to single digits while Wright and guard Edwige Lawson-Wade stabilized the offense as All-Star point guard Sue Bird took brief breaks.

Complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Happy days here again for Storm's Marques*

Midway through the Storm's regular season, fans began to notice something was missing.

Long before the sale of the team, KeyArena didn't seem as bright.

That's because forward Iziane Castro Marques had stopped smiling.

But that changed Friday, when the Storm beat the Sparks in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. Castro Marques beamed as she nailed a three-pointer with 2:12 remaining to stretch the Storm's lead to seven points.

Her ensuing defensive play was a steal that she converted into an assist to forward Lauren Jackson.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Game 1 Loss Leaves Mystics With One Chance to Recover*

It didn't take long for the Washington Mystics to forget about their 76-61 loss to Connecticut to open the Eastern Conference playoffs on Friday night at Verizon Center.

The Mystics almost immediately turned their attention to Game 2 of their best-of-three series against the Sun, who could win the first-round series with a victory at 1:30 p.m. today at Mohegan Sun Arena. Game 3, if necessary, will be played Tuesday in Connecticut.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Mystics shoot for upset*

The Washington Mystics season has come to this: Upset the Connecticut Sun this afternoon or begin their long offseason.
Washington needs to win today and post another upset Tuesday at the Eastern Conference's top seed to win its first-round playoff series. That's a considerable challenge since Connecticut is 14-3 at home and has won eight straight against the Mystics, including two this season, at Mohegan Sun Arena.
The Mystics are down 1-0 in the best-of-three series after losing Game 1 on Friday night at Verizon Center. For Washington, it was a night of missed shots, defensive breakdowns and frustration. 

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Whalen Raises Her Game For The Playoffs — Again*

It looks as though “Playoff Lindsay” is back.

Lindsay Whalen, the Connecticut Sun's point guard, has a way of elevating her play during the postseason. The All-Star made a big impression on a national stage during the 2005 playoffs, and she's already off to a strong start in this year's Eastern Conference semifinals.

Whalen helped give Connecticut, which plays host to the Washington Mystics in Game 2 of their WNBA first-round playoff series today (1:30 p.m., Chs. 6, 8) at Mohegan Sun Arena, a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series. She scored a game-high 22 points in Friday night's 76-61 win at Washington.

“I think we see a playoff Lindsay,” Sun coach Mike Thibault said. “Somehow, in the playoffs each of the last two years, her scoring has gone up, partly because teams have to take care of (guarding) all of our other players. If you have that many people that can shoot the ball, they can't devote all of their attention to her.

“She's been aggressive about going to the basket and we're probably seeing her, the last three weeks, the healthiest she's been all year.”

Complete article


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