Sun Still Struggling

By Leon Field

Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson led a balanced attack as the Houston Comets defeated the winless Connecticut Sun 68-57.
Unlike the opening day loss to the Phoenix Mercury in which the Connecticut team played a very lackluster game, the intensity picked up against the Comets, but even then only in spurts. As has become a habit carried over from last year, the Sun played only an okay first half and went to the locker room trailing by only four points. The second half started with the Houston team outscoring the Connecticut team 16-2 to start the second half and it was play catch up for the Sun the remainder of the game.
Katie Douglas in perhaps her best game yet for the Sun was the only Sun player to play spectacular on both the defensive and offensive ends of the floor. Douglas finished with 21 points and 8 rebounds. Asjha Jones and Nykesha Sales were the only two other Sun players in double figures with 14 points apiece.

Scoring has been a huge problem for the Sun and coach Mike Thibault is at a loss to why. "Lets put it this way. One of our starters goes 7 for 12 shooting and the rest of our starters go 9 for 35," the Sun coach said, " I'd like to think some of that is the defense but I think Taj and Nykesha are pressing and shooting off balance a little bit, rushing things still. I have to think with the offensive talent we have that will eventually come into play."

The Sun defense held one of the better scoring teams in the WNBA to 42 percent shooting, but shot just 34 percent themselves. You are not going to win in any league shooting like that.

Quotes from the Game
Katie Douglas - "I think we definitely showed progress from the other night. Coach came in before the game and said basically we didn't want to come in feeling the way we did on Saturday. We feel we could have given more and I think we gave it everything we had tonight. We gave a lot of effort but we need to play intelligent.
I think when we get it all together we will be a pretty good basketball team."

Lindsay Whalen - Although being held scoreless, Whalen remained upbeat. "I'm really not too worried about the scoring, I just want to win. The practices have been great and we just need to carry over into the games.

Jessica Brungo - "I'm feeling a lot more comfortable and I think in a couple of more weeks we'll be feeling a lot more comfortable with each other. Playing against Katie and Nykesha really helps.

Debbie Black - "We just have to come out and play with intensity for a full forty minutes and not have any lulls."

Fast Facts - The Sun have six new players on the team and that is a lot in any league. It is going to be a season of growing pains but there are also some good signs. Lindsay Whalen looks like once she becomes comfortable, will be able to handle the point guard position. Jessica Brungo definitely belongs in this league along with Candace Furtell.

Only 3800 fans attended the game and had to be a big disappointment to Sun management. Hopefully the fans will show more patience and will support the only women's professional team in Connecticut. This is one writer who thinks that patience will be rewarded down the road.