WHEN I WATCHED IN LAST FEW MINUTES OF THE FOURTH QUARTER ON MONDAY NIGHTS GAME OF THE CONNECTICUT SUN VS. THE NEW YORK LIBERTY, I SAID THE LIBERTY HAVE THEIR 3 BEST, 3 POINT SHOOTERS IN THERE. THEY ARE GOING TO PUT THE SUN AWAY. THE LIBERTY SHOT A 3 POINTER AND ENDED UP WINNING THE GAME BY 4 POINTS. THE SUN WHO HAD KEPT JAMIE CAREY OUT THE ENTIRE GAME BROUGHT HER IN TO TRY A 3 POINTER, IT NEVER HAPPENED. AS I LEFT THE ARENA, I THOUGHT TO MYSELF. THIS WAS THE WAY IT HAD TO END.
THE SEASON HAD STARTED WITH MARGO DYDEK (7'2" CENTER) TAKING THE YEAR OFF BECAUSE OF BEING PREGNANT. SHE SIGNED ON AUGUST 27, 2008 WITH THE LOS ANGELES SPARK. KATIE DOUGLAS'S (FORWARD/GUARD) REQUEST TO BE TRADED TO THE INDIANA FEVER WAS GRANTED. SHE WAS OUR BEST 3-POINT SHOOTER IN 2007 AND OUR MOST VALUABLE PLAYER, THE PERSON WE WENT TO WHEN THE SUN NEEDED A SCORE. NYKESHA SALES TOOK THE YEAR OFF. WE HAD TRADED AWAY TAJ MCWILLIAMS-FRANLIN WHO STABLIZED THE TEAM.
WE STARTED THE 2008 SEASON WITH ONLY THREE PLAYERS FROM THE 2007 SEASON. WE HAD LINDSAY WHALEN, JAMIE CAREY AND ASHA JONES. SO THE 2008 SEASON STARTED WITH A LOT OF ROOKIES AND AN UNPROVEN TEAM. SOMETIMES IT WORKED, SOMETIMES IT DIDN'T.
ON MONDAY NIGHT THE SUNS BARBARA TURNER SHOT 2 OF 11 FROM THE FLOOR. AMBER HOLT SHOT 1 FOR 5. COACH MIKE THIBAULT SAID, "OUR BENCH WAS 4 OF 22 FROM THE FLOOR. WHEN THE BALL GETS SWUNG OUT OF DOUBLE TEAMS AND YOU'RE WIDE OPEN, YOU HAVE TO MAKE (THE SHOT). AND WE DIDN'T."
THE OLD NEW YORK KNICKS TEAMS OF THE 1960'S TO 1970'S HAD STARS LIKE WILLIS REED, DAVE DEBUSSEHERE, WALT "CLYDE" FRAZIER , "DOLLAR" BILL BRADLEY, AND EARL "THE PEARL" MONROE. THESE MEN WERE DEADLY SHOOTING FROM THE OUTSIDE. ANYONE OF THEM COULD HURT THE OPPOSITION. IF THE CONNECTICUT SUN WANT TO PLAY THAT KIND OF GAME, THEN THEY NEED THE STARS THAT CAN DO IT. REMEMBER THEY TRADED AWAY KATIE DOUGLAS.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO PLAY A PERIMETER GAME, THE BALL MUST FALL IN TO THE BASKET. IF THAT IS HAPPENING, THE BIG PEOPLE HAVE TO COME OUT TO DEFEND, AND THEN YOU CAN GET THE CLOSER JUMP SHOTS INSIDE. CONNECTICUT SHOT 12 OF 44.. 3-POINTERS, AND 73 OF 203 SHOTS FROM THE FLOOR. YOU USUALLY CAN NOT WIN WHEN YOUR SHOOTING 36.0% AND YOUR COMPETITION (NEW YORK LIBERTY) ARE SHOOTING 44.8%.
THIBAULT WHEN ASKED WHAT PIECES IT WOULD TAKE TO WIN THE TITLE SAID, "WE DON'T AT THE MOMENT." HE ALSO SAID, "WE NEED THE YOUNG PLAYERS TO GET BETTER. WE NEED SANDRINE TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP. BEYOND THAT, I DON'T KNOW. THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY OTHER THINGS WE HAVE TO WORK ON." COACH THIBAULT SHOULD GET COACH OF THE YEAR, HE DESERVES IT.
IF NOTHING CHANGES, THE TEAM WILL START WITH POTENTIAL ALL STARS LINDSAY WHALEN AND ASHA JONES. THERE WILL BE JAMIE CAREY AND ERIN PHILLIPS WHO CAN RUN THE OFFENCE WHEN NEEDED. THERE IS A GOOD YOUNG NUCLEUS IN BARBARA TURNER, AND AMBER HOLT. ROOKIE SANDRINE GRUDA HAS POTENTIAL. ARKANSAS STAR LAUREN ERIN SHOULD BE HEALTHY FOR NEXT SEASON. NYKESHA SALES MAY BE BACK. TAMIKA WHITMORE SHOULD BE BACK.
AFTER WATCHING THE CONNECTICUT SUN FOR YEARS THE FANS DESERVE MORE THAN TWO EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WE DESERVE TO WIN IT ALL. WE DESERVE A WNBA CHAMPIONSHIP. GO SUN, GO
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