The Connecticut Sun are filling out their training camp lineup, announcing Wednesday they’ve signed three college seniors to camp contracts.
Illinois State’s Kristi Cirone, Murray State’s Ashley Hayes and Duke’s Carrem Gay will all report to Connecticut for the start of camp on May 18 with the hopes of making the Sun in a season when spots are at their highest premium in WNBA history.
In addition to trimming rosters from 13 to 11 players, teams have also been forced to reduce the number of players available to open camp from 18 to 15. Making the competition even more intense is the expected presence of most of the Sun’s stars, including Lindsay Whalen and Asjha Jones, who have missed the start of camp in previous years.
The league pushed its opening weekend back roughly three weeks this season, affording players competing overseas more time to arrive in time for the preseason. Some, like Whalen and Australian Erin Phillips, are already in the United States.
That will put the onus on the undrafted seniors to make an immediate impact, though they all come with credentials.
A three-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, the 5-foot-8 Cirone is the leading scorer in Illinois State history (2,139 points), and last season ranked second in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.57) while averaging a team-high 18.8 points per game.
Hayes, a 5-foot-10 guard, is the first player in Murray State history to earn an invite to a WNBA camp. Another pure scorer, she averaged 22.6 points per game as a senior and set a school record by netting 46 points at Tennessee State on Feb. 4. She topped 30 points seven times last season, including five games in a row.
The 6-foot-2 Gay averaged 6.6 points and 5.1 rebounds last year while playing alongside Sun first-round pick Chante Black at Duke. Gay ranks ninth all-time in program history with 80 blocks.
The Sun open the preseason on May 22 against New York and have to make final cuts by June 5, a day before their season- and home-opener against the Washington Mystics.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Sun take Duke's Black
The Connecticut Sun added some needed frontcourt help in the WNBA Draft today, selecting Duke’s Chante Black with the 10th overall pick.
Black, a 6-foot-5 center, averaged 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds this past season for the Blue Devils. She’ll join one of the league’s smallest frontcourts in Asjha Jones, Tamika Whitmore and the 6-foot-4 Sandrine Gruda, likely as a back-up.
“From what I’ve seen, the Connecticut Sun is a very up-tempo team,” Black said on a conference call last week. “They have a great point (guard) with Lindsay Whalen and I know she’s looking for a big to dish off to when she penetrates. I always love those opportunities when you have a guard looking to pass the post the ball. And I would always love an opportunity to play for any team that’s playing that type of style.”
The Sun select again at No. 17 and No. 36.
Black, a 6-foot-5 center, averaged 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds this past season for the Blue Devils. She’ll join one of the league’s smallest frontcourts in Asjha Jones, Tamika Whitmore and the 6-foot-4 Sandrine Gruda, likely as a back-up.
“From what I’ve seen, the Connecticut Sun is a very up-tempo team,” Black said on a conference call last week. “They have a great point (guard) with Lindsay Whalen and I know she’s looking for a big to dish off to when she penetrates. I always love those opportunities when you have a guard looking to pass the post the ball. And I would always love an opportunity to play for any team that’s playing that type of style.”
The Sun select again at No. 17 and No. 36.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Sun not among Jackson's choices
The Sun have apparently fallen out of the race for former league MVP Lauren Jackson. The Australian star said in a radio interview that she will play in the WNBA this season but for either the Seattle Storm or Phoenix Mercury.
Sun coach Mike Thibault had pursued Jackson, flying to Russia on at least one occasion to speak with her. Jackson is playing with Moscow's Spartak Vidnoe, which competes in the Russian league and in EuroLeague.
"Seattle and Phoenix are sort of the two places I'm looking at. Obviously, I love Seattle and I've been there for many years," Jackson said in the 18-minute interview with Radio Sport 927 in Melbourne, excerpts of which were obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press. "It's always going to be a tough decision, but I don't know what I'm going to do. As long as I feel like I don't know, I can't make any decisions."
Sun coach Mike Thibault had pursued Jackson, flying to Russia on at least one occasion to speak with her. Jackson is playing with Moscow's Spartak Vidnoe, which competes in the Russian league and in EuroLeague.
"Seattle and Phoenix are sort of the two places I'm looking at. Obviously, I love Seattle and I've been there for many years," Jackson said in the 18-minute interview with Radio Sport 927 in Melbourne, excerpts of which were obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press. "It's always going to be a tough decision, but I don't know what I'm going to do. As long as I feel like I don't know, I can't make any decisions."
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Sun sign Jekabsone-Zogota
The Connecticut Sun addressed their need for a shooter Friday, signing Latvian star Anete Jekabsone-Zogota to a training camp contract.
She'll likely arrive in late June or early July, Sun coach Mike Thibault has said, because of her commitment to play for the host Latvian team in the European Championships. The Sun open their season on June 6.
But when she does make it to Connecticut, she'll give the Sun, whose shooting struggles cost them in their first-round playoff loss to New York last summer, a scorer in the mold of former Connecticut star, Katie Douglas. The Sun made just 73-of-203 field goals (36 percent) and shot 22 percent from the 3-point line in that series.
"We’re really excited to sign her," Thibault said in a statement. "We feel she will make an impact when she comes."
Averaging a team-high 15.9 points per game for defending FIBA EuroCup champion Moscow Dynamo this season, the 25-year-old Jekabsone-Zogota is 22-of-44 from three-point range in 10 EuroCup games.
The FIBA Europe Women’s Player of the Year in 2007 and the FIBA Europe Young Women’s Player of the Year in 2005, Jekabsone-Zogota helped Moscow Dynamo win the EuroCup title last year, averaging 20 points per game in the finals. She is the daughter of former Latvian men’s basketball star Andris Jekabsone.
"She’s one of the best young shooters in all of Europe, and she is the captain of her Olympic team," Thibault said of Jekabsone-Zogota, who averaged 15.8 points for Latvia during the Summer Games in Beijing. “When we finished last season, we said we needed to add a great shooter to our team, we feel like she can do that. This is a big off-season signing for us."
She'll likely arrive in late June or early July, Sun coach Mike Thibault has said, because of her commitment to play for the host Latvian team in the European Championships. The Sun open their season on June 6.
But when she does make it to Connecticut, she'll give the Sun, whose shooting struggles cost them in their first-round playoff loss to New York last summer, a scorer in the mold of former Connecticut star, Katie Douglas. The Sun made just 73-of-203 field goals (36 percent) and shot 22 percent from the 3-point line in that series.
"We’re really excited to sign her," Thibault said in a statement. "We feel she will make an impact when she comes."
Averaging a team-high 15.9 points per game for defending FIBA EuroCup champion Moscow Dynamo this season, the 25-year-old Jekabsone-Zogota is 22-of-44 from three-point range in 10 EuroCup games.
The FIBA Europe Women’s Player of the Year in 2007 and the FIBA Europe Young Women’s Player of the Year in 2005, Jekabsone-Zogota helped Moscow Dynamo win the EuroCup title last year, averaging 20 points per game in the finals. She is the daughter of former Latvian men’s basketball star Andris Jekabsone.
"She’s one of the best young shooters in all of Europe, and she is the captain of her Olympic team," Thibault said of Jekabsone-Zogota, who averaged 15.8 points for Latvia during the Summer Games in Beijing. “When we finished last season, we said we needed to add a great shooter to our team, we feel like she can do that. This is a big off-season signing for us."
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Use of instant replay expanded
The WNBA Board of Governors voted to allow the expanded use of instant replay by game officials beginning this season, it was announced today. The Board was scheduled to meet Wednesday. The two modifications will allow referees to use instant replay for the following scenarios:
(1) To determine at any point during a game whether a field goal was correctly scored as a two- or three-point field goal, and, for the purposes of awarding the correct number of free throws, whether a shooter was fouled while taking a two- or three-point attempt.
(2) When the game clock malfunctions during a play concluding with no time remaining on the clock (0:00) at the end of any quarter or overtime period.
With respect to the first scenario, review would occur at the discretion of the game officials. In the second scenario, game officials are currently required to reconstruct the timing of a play occurring during a clock malfunction; the use of replay would enable them to do so with greater accuracy.
The first rule expansion seems like a natural one, though in reference to the second one, I'm not sure how often a clock malfunction really impacts a game. The sense here, though, is that league officials don't want to slow down the game at any opportunity, but with replay becoming a bigger part of every professional sports league, there must have been some who voiced the need for greater use of the technology.
(1) To determine at any point during a game whether a field goal was correctly scored as a two- or three-point field goal, and, for the purposes of awarding the correct number of free throws, whether a shooter was fouled while taking a two- or three-point attempt.
(2) When the game clock malfunctions during a play concluding with no time remaining on the clock (0:00) at the end of any quarter or overtime period.
With respect to the first scenario, review would occur at the discretion of the game officials. In the second scenario, game officials are currently required to reconstruct the timing of a play occurring during a clock malfunction; the use of replay would enable them to do so with greater accuracy.
The first rule expansion seems like a natural one, though in reference to the second one, I'm not sure how often a clock malfunction really impacts a game. The sense here, though, is that league officials don't want to slow down the game at any opportunity, but with replay becoming a bigger part of every professional sports league, there must have been some who voiced the need for greater use of the technology.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Mohegan Sun to host WNBA All-Star game
For the second time in their seven-year existence, the Connecticut Sun will play host to the WNBA All-Star game and welcome the league's top stars to Mohegan Sun Arena on Saturday, July 25, in a nationally televised game, it was announced Tuesday.
The Sun also hosted the event in 2005. Only Washington, D.C., and New York have hosted multiple All-Star games before.
"The WNBA All-Star Game is a showcase event for the greatest female basketball players in the world, and I cannot think of a better location than Connecticut, where the Sun – and, really, the women’s game – has such a dedicated fan base,” WNBA President Donna Orender said in a statement.
Sun season-ticket holders will receive information from the team this week detailing an opportunity to buy their current seats for the All-Star Game in advance of a public on-sale date.
Others with an opportunity to purchase tickets prior to the public sale date include fans who purchase one of two Sun mini-plans set to go on sale Wednesday and season-ticket holders with other WNBA teams. Details of the latter option will be available in the coming weeks.
Individual tickets to the general public will be available in April at all Ticketmaster locations and the Mohegan Sun box office.
The game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start on ABC.
"We are honored to host the All-Star game for the second time in our short history,” said Sun general manager Chris Sienko. “I believe it is a credit to our fans and illustrates how supportive they are of both our team and the WNBA. To have the best-of-the-best showcase their skills here this July will be an event not to be missed.”
The Sun also hosted the event in 2005. Only Washington, D.C., and New York have hosted multiple All-Star games before.
"The WNBA All-Star Game is a showcase event for the greatest female basketball players in the world, and I cannot think of a better location than Connecticut, where the Sun – and, really, the women’s game – has such a dedicated fan base,” WNBA President Donna Orender said in a statement.
Sun season-ticket holders will receive information from the team this week detailing an opportunity to buy their current seats for the All-Star Game in advance of a public on-sale date.
Others with an opportunity to purchase tickets prior to the public sale date include fans who purchase one of two Sun mini-plans set to go on sale Wednesday and season-ticket holders with other WNBA teams. Details of the latter option will be available in the coming weeks.
Individual tickets to the general public will be available in April at all Ticketmaster locations and the Mohegan Sun box office.
The game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start on ABC.
"We are honored to host the All-Star game for the second time in our short history,” said Sun general manager Chris Sienko. “I believe it is a credit to our fans and illustrates how supportive they are of both our team and the WNBA. To have the best-of-the-best showcase their skills here this July will be an event not to be missed.”
Monday, February 2, 2009
Orender to visit Sun, 'major announcement' on tap
WNBA President Donna Orender, Mohegan Sun Tribal Chairman Bruce Bozsum and Connecticut Sun CEO Mitchell Etess and GM Chris Sienko will host a press conference at the Mohegan Sun's Wolf Den at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday to make what has been termed a "major announcement."
Mostly everyone I've spoken to has respectfully declined comment about what the announcement is while emphasizing this is something I "will want to be there for." I can say this with confidence, though: It's not bad news. If I have more, you'll have it.
Mostly everyone I've spoken to has respectfully declined comment about what the announcement is while emphasizing this is something I "will want to be there for." I can say this with confidence, though: It's not bad news. If I have more, you'll have it.
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