Catchings Expected To Return To Action Sunday

By the Indiana Fever
Posted Thursday, June 12, 2008

Tamika Catchings. SPM File Photo by Sue Wilden.

INDIANAPOLIS – Tamika Catchings, the Indiana Fever’s Olympic gold medalist, five-time WNBA All-Star and two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, is expected to make her 2008 debut when Indiana hosts the San Antonio Silver Stars this Sunday at Conseco Fieldhouse. Tipoff is 6:00 p.m.

Barring any unexpected setbacks and with final clearance from Fever medical personnel, Catchings anticipates her first action since the 2007 WNBA Playoffs.

“We’ve obviously very excited about Tamika’s progress,” noted Fever Head Coach Lin Dunn. “We’re thrilled that she’ll be back with us on Sunday. We understand that her minutes may be limited, but it will be wonderful to have her on the floor in uniform again. We have certainly missed her 100 percent effort, her leadership and her overall game.”

After missing 13 regular season games with a partially torn plantar fascia in her left foot last summer, she returned for a six-game run through the playoffs which saw Indiana advance within one game of the WNBA Finals. She tore her right Achilles’ tendon during a decisive Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on September 3, and underwent successful surgery on September 6. After nine months of rehabilitation, she began practicing with the Fever at near full-strength at the start of June.

The Fever, 4-3 prior to Friday’s game at Atlanta, hosts hhgregg Dads & Daughters Night presented by FanHouse.com, Sunday, when it host the Silver Stars. Led by WNBA All-Stars Catchings, Katie Douglas and Tammy Sutton-Brown, the Fever bids for its first WNBA Finals appearance after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in two of the past three seasons. Tickets are available at FeverBasketball.com.