# WNBA news 9/09



## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Momentum shifts to Shock*

The WNBA Finals took a dramatic swing in momentum when the Shock defeated the Monarchs 72-52 on Wednesday at ARCO Arena.

Sacramento, the defending champion, had a chance to clinch the title on its home floor.

Now, it's the Shock's turn to win the title in front of their fans Saturday at Joe Louis Arena.

"We obviously didn't want them to have their celebration," Shock guard Katie Smith said.

The Monarchs had dominated the series, winning games 1 (95-71) and 3 (89-69). They held an 11-point lead in Game 2 before the Shock rallied for a 73-63 victory.

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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Shock bench makes most of short time*

- While parked on the bench for most of Game 4 of the WNBA Finals on Wednesday because of foul trouble, Shock guard Deanna Nolan admitted looking onto the court and seeing something strikingly familiar.

She had a flashback to 2003, when the Shock won the franchise's only league championship.

"That was like a déjÀ vu moment when people from the '03 team were coming in," Nolan said.

Nolan was referring to Shock reserve guards Elaine Powell and Kedra Holland-Corn, who played meaningful minutes in Detroit's most meaningful game of the season.

The Shock went on to win Game 4, 72-52, over the defending champion Sacramento Monarchs at ARCO Arena to force a decisive Game 5 on Saturday at Joe Louis Arena.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Women's basketball greatly influenced by Geno Auriemma*

Geno Auriemma will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame tonight. Much of the focus will be on the substantial achievements of his University of Connecticut women's teams on the basketball, and they are staggering -- five national championships, almost 600 wins and an .835 winning percentage, eight Final Fours, a perfect season .... the list goes on.

What should be just as celebrated in his career is not only his impact on UConn basketball history, but his impact on the dozens of young women fortunate to go through his program, untold tens of thousands of young women and girls inspired to greatness by Auriemma's Huskies and his role in the history of women's basketball -- college and professional. How many of you have daughters or were inspired yourself because of the enthusiasm, execution and success of the Huskies? How many girls dreamed of playing for the Huskies, or of having the honor of competing against them?

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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Laimbeer gets what he wants*

The man sauntered into the media room just as sweat-soaked, just as spent.

But this time Bill Laimbeer was armed with a steady, satisfying grin of triumph.

The Detroit Shock coach lambasted the officials after his last visit to Arco Arena -- and was promptly fined for it -- but Laimbeer got what he really pleaded for Wednesday night in Game 4. Effort. And a chance to dethrone the Monarchs on Saturday in Detroit.

complete article


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Monarchs meekly let opportunity slip away*

Those mysterious sounds you heard upon waking up this morning? Those were the brakes being slammed on the parade, the air being squeezed out of the balloons, the truckloads of champagne and assorted delicacies being dispatched back to the warehouse.

The party died out before the invitees arrived.

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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

*Monarchs collapse, hit road for decisive game*

Monarchs coach John Whisenant saw this coming. He tried to motivate his defending WNBA champions out of their sluggish performance in Wednesday morning's shootaround.

Whisenant tried yelling. He tried everything he could think of, even wearing his lucky purple tie.

Nothing worked.

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