Sun Shines In Connecticut

By Ann K. Miller: SPM CT Writer
Posted Monday, September 1, 2008

ABOVE: Ashja Jones shoots over the Seattle defense. BELOW: Sue Bird brings the ball up the floor. Photos by Mike D'Avino.

UNCASVILLE, CONN. - The Connecticut Sun entertained the Seattle Storm at the Mohegan Sun Arena Sunday, their first home game since the break for the Olympics. A sellout crowd of 9,518 passed up the chance to spend the day outside where the weather was glorious, to see if their Sun would shine inside the arena.

The Seattle matchup is another game that the Sun fans circle on their calendars at the beginning of the season, as they love to see former UConn star Sue Bird when she comes to town. This year Bird was joined by former teammate Swin Cash, which made the game all the sweeter for Sun fans.

The fact that each team came into this game in first place in their respective conferences made this a “must see” game for the Connecticut faithful.

Sunday’s game also marked the return of Sun back-up point guard Erin Phillips, who missed all of last season with a knee injury and missed all of this season to stay in her Australian homeland to play for her native team in the Olympics. Sun fans were eagerly anticipating her return.

Phillips was joined by someone that Sun fans may have always hoped to see, but never expected to….Svetlana Abrosimova, the former UConn fan favorite, who signed with the Sun last week and who was in the Sun uniform for the first time on Sunday.

The Sun didn’t send the fans home disappointed—they took care of business against what coach Mike Thibault described as the “best defensive team in the league,” their 80-76 win over the Storm was their sixth consecutive win (a season high) and their third win in four days. The Sun’s last loss was back on July 18th when they lost to Chicago.

This game was neck-and-neck throughout the contest and wasn’t won until there were 2.3 seconds on the clock and Jamie Carey on the foul line for Connecticut with the score 78-76. Carey calmly hit both free throws and then stole the inbounds pass and held on until the final buzzer sounded.

The game had 17 lead changes and nine ties. The Sun lead by 10 points 55-45 with 3:46 left in the third quarter. The Storm stepped up their intensity on defense and came battling back to make it a nail biter at 78-76 with less than a minute to go in the game.

Sue Bird, fresh from the Olympics where she helped head the US to gold, was the big scorer for the game. She led all players with 24 points. Veteran center Yolanda Griffith had 12 points and Swin Cash had 16.

The Sun were playing without their point guard, Lindsay Whalen, who suffered a sprained ankle in a game against the Dream on Friday night.

“If this was a play-off game, she would have played,” said Thibault, when asked about Whalen’s status.

Jamie Carey took over Whalen’s role on the floor, in her first ever start for the Sun and did a great job. She had 12 points, including the free throws that clinched the win for the Sun.

Abrosimova did well in the game, despite not having had an opportunity to practice with the team. She came in off the bench and contributed almost immediately. She played almost 14 minutes in the game and had four points and two assists.

Abrosimova was all smiles in the locker room after the game, happy to be back in Connecticut and pleased with the reception she got from the fans, who have missed seeing her play in her adopted “home state.” She is also happy because she feels that the Sun has a legitimate shot at winning the WNBA championship and she wants to help them achieve that goal.

“I will do whatever it takes to help,” she said.

Mike Thibault was happy with the win and how he got contributions from everyone who played. He is very pleased with the continued progress of rookies Amber Holt (15 points) and Kerri Gardin, who had six points.

“They are not playing like rookies anymore,” he said, “they are playing like veterans.”

With the arrival of Phillips and the addition of Abrosimova, the Sun have perhaps the deepest bench in the league. Thibault likes his team’s chances to go all the way to a championship, especially with the addition of the former UConn players this year—Barbara Turner, Tamika Raymond and Abrosimova—“they know how to win ... they know that it takes a lot of hard work to get what you want.”

Ashja Jones led t he Sun once again with 20 points, her fourth consecutive double-figure game.

The Sun, whose record is now a league-leading 19-11, don’t play again until Friday, which gives them a few days to practice and get Phillips and Abrosimova acclimated to the plays and the players. They host the Chicago Sky on Friday, September 5th at 7pm.

The Storm travel to Atlanta to play the Dream on Tuesday at 4pm. Their record after Sunday’s loss is 18-10.

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