Mystics Start Strong, But Fall To Fever

By Amy Koler: SPM DC Writer
Posted Wednesday, September 3, 2008

WASHINGTON, DC - For one half Mystics fans saw Jessie-ball, the intensity-filled defense-driven basketball preached by interim head coach Jessie Kenlaw. For one half, the Mystics played to their potential, rather than discussing it.

But one half was not enough as the Mystics stumbled again, losing to the Indiana Fever 79-68 Tuesday night.

During the first half of play the Mystics controlled the game. While the first quarter ended with the Mystics holding only a one-point edge 24-23, they played with authority and played their game.

“We’ve got to get to the point where we’re consistent."

Newcomer Tasha Humphrey contributed seven points in the first half (finishing with nine), and she seemed comfortable on offense and with her role on the team.

In the second quarter, a one-point deficit evaporated on a 15-2 Mystics run. The Mystics grabbed their sizable lead by playing aggressive team defense and attacking the basket. Their defense forced the Fever to take ill-advised shots, as they went 4-13 (31 percent) from the field. When the defense earned a turnover on a shot clock violation, all the players on the bench were on their feet cheering the effort.

Offensively, the Mystics attacked the basket, sharing both the ball and the scoring. Of the 20 points they scored in the quarter, seven players contributed points with no one scoring more than four.

Of the first half, Mystics leading scorer Alana Beard (17 points) said, “It felt like everything we were working on finally came together.”

Gone were the long lapses during which time the opposition shreds the defense and the offense looks confused. Gone were those lapses, until, well, the third quarter. Unfortunately for the Mystics, this particular lapse lasted the entirety of the third period and the majority of the fourth.

The third quarter represented a 180-degree turn-around from the second. The toughness displayed in the first half gave way to sloppiness and confusion. In the third period — during which the Fever outscored the Mystics 25-10—the Mystics appeared befuddled on offense and frustrated on defense.

The team offense disappeared. Instead of passing the ball to the open player and getting good looks at the basket, the ball was frequently dribbled around the perimeter and a shot foisted up as time expired. In fact, in the quarter the Mystics proved more adept at passing the ball to the opposition (Bevilaqua collected two steals) than to each other (one assist).

The sloppiness was epitomized in a 78 seconds in the middle of the quarter. Beard inexplicably flattened her defender (once on offense and once on defense) resulting in two quick turnovers and her first personal fouls of the game. These two trips down the floor sandwiched a bad pass by point guard Nikki Blue for yet another turnover.

The team was out-hustled to loose balls and on the boards. The second quarter 9-4 rebounding advantage was replaced by an 8-6 deficit. Instead of the bench cheering defensive effort, they were on their feet yelling at the referees.

The defense watched somewhat listlessly as Tamika Catchings took control of the game. She scored ten of her game-high 26 points in the period. She also had nine rebounds.

The anger and frustration clearly visible on the faces of the players and the coaches failed to translate into aggression on the court.

While the fourth quarter showed improvement over the third—holding the Fever to only 23 percent from the field—the Mystics never regained control of the game.

Coach Jessie Kenlaw said, “We’ve got to get to the point where we’re consistent.” Without that consistency, the season will continue to fall apart.

The Mystics fell to 10-19 for the season and 0-3 since the Olympic break. The Fever, meanwhile, continues to cling to the last play-off spot in the Eastern Conference improving to 14-15. The Fever will play the Detroit Shock in Detroit on Friday. The Mystics welcome the Shock and former teammate Taj McWilliams-Franklin to the Verizon Center Saturday.