Preseason Game # 2 Stats

Storm

TOP SHOOTING

Player	Floor %	eFG%	TS%	Points
Ashley Robinson	37%	50%	50%	4
Ashely Walker	52%	36%	45%	12
Tanisha Wright	45%	40%	48%	16
Katie Gearlds	29%	40%	40%	8

TOP RATINGS

Player	Offensive	Individual
Ashley Walker	108.81	84.89
Tanisha Wright	97.92	84.91

PLUS/MINUS

Ashley Robinson: +5
Tanisha Wright: +2
Ashley Walker: +2
Sue Bird: -2
Katie Gearlds: -2
Camille Little: -5
Shannon Johnson: -6
Janell Burse: -9

MOST EFFECTIVE LINEUPS

Bird-Wright-Gearlds-Little-Robinson: +4
Bird-Wright-Gearlds-Walker-Little: +4
Johnson-Wright-Gearlds-Walker-Robinson: +3
Johnson-Wright-Gearlds-Little-Burse: +2

Mercury


TOP SHOOTING

Player	Floor %	eFG%	TS%	Points
Diana Taurasi	52%	60%	60%	13
Temeka Johnson	43%	65%	65%	13
Brooke Smith	31%	100%	69%	2
Laurie Koehn	38%	60%	60%	6

TOP RATINGS

Player	Offensive	Individual
Laurie Koehn	115.13	108.72
Temeka Johnson	111.81	111.50
Allison Bales	108.83	106.38
Diana Taurasi	107.28	102.46

PLUS/MINUS

Allison Bales: +17
Laurie Koehn: +13
Brooke Smith: +10
Le'Coe Willingham: -1
Cappie Pondexter: -3
Dewanna Bonner: -8
Temeka Johnson: -9
Diana Taurasi: -10
Tangela Smith: -12

MOST EFFECTIVE LINEUPS

Oga-Brooks-Koehn-BSmith-Bales: +8
Johnson-Pondexter-Mazzante-Willingham-TSmith: +6
Johnson-Taurasi-Pondexter-Bonner-TSmith: +5
Brooks-Quigley-Koehn-BSmith-Bales: +4

Guest in the Key

Read Q's great post on his visit to Key Arena for last week's preseason game.

http://rethinkbball.blogspot.com/2009/05/wnbas-west-coast-pre-season-opener.html

Preseason Game # 1 Stats

Storm

TOP SHOOTING

Player	Floor %	eFG%	TS%	Points
La'Tangela Atkinson	61%	67%	64%	5
Ashely Walker	63%	50%	54%	10
Shannon Johnson	52%	67%	64%	5
Janell Burse	54%	50%	56%	10
Kimberly Beck	51%	75%	75%	3

TOP RATINGS

Player	Offensive	Individual
Kimberly Beck	153.73	139.69
Ashely Walker	124.31	99.81
La'Tangela Atkinson	117.99	114.24
Janell Burse	112.47	99.19
A'Quonesia Franklin	100.45	93.49

PLUS/MINUS

Katie Gearlds: +11
Shannon Johnson: +7
Kasha Terry: +7
La'Tangela Atkinson: +7
Aja Parham: +3
Kimberly Beck: +3
A'Quonesia Franklin: +2
Camille Little: +2
Ashley Robinson: +1
Janell Burse: 0
Mara Freshour: 0

MOST EFFECTIVE LINEUPS

Johnson-Atkinson-Gearlds-Little-Burse: +4
Johnson-Atkinson-Gearlds-Little-Terry: +4
Franklin-Johnson-Gearlds-Walker-Burse: +3
Franklin-Gearlds-Little-Walker-Burse: +3

Monarchs vs. Storm 5/21

I do intend to run the numbers for this game, but I have a badly sprained ankle that makes sitting to type rather uncomfortable. Hopefully it will start to feel better soon.

I completed my first game from press row, and it was definitely a new experience. I still get to enjoy great professional basketball but my focus and my enjoyment of the game is more analytical and less personal. I am not sure yet how I feel about that change.

It was a new skill to perform post game interviews with the coach and players, and I definitely had some rookie jitters, but am looking forward to improving over the course of the season. I got the quotes I was looking for with regard to my post game article, but also took some time to talk with the three rookies about their first WNBA game. Parham and Freshour particularly seemed surprised to have someone interested in speaking to them. They both handled themselves well, however, and gave me some good quotes for a rookie story I am considering.

It great to see a nice size crowd for an exhibition game, looking forward to a much more packed house on opening night.

My first Media Day

I survived.

My rookie nerves had me ready to fall flat on my face, ask a stupid question, miss the key interview or just be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Thankfully, the Storm PR staff are pros and they made sure everything moved along smoothly. Other members of the press were very helpful, sharing logistical advice and being very friendly in general. I was not the only rookie, and I appreciated that fact.

I enjoyed watching the seasoned pros at work in the process, and took my time, watching and learning through the early interviews, waiting for my spot. As the morning wore on, I felt a little more prepared and asked a few more questions. We had just a handful of us around for many of the players with other interviews with Sue Bird and Brian Agler being more crowded.

I listened to my interview recordings on my run this morning...searching for a theme for my first piece. There is so much material, I understand now why I was told Media Day could provide me a foundation for the entire season.

I am looking forward to covering my first game this Thursday.

Storm Media Day

So, I have not been posting much of late.

It has been the combination of a number of things:

* Slow News
* Busy Schedule

but the kicker has been over my decision to change my role covering the Storm this season.

I have agreed to cover the Storm in an official capacity for Sports Page Magazine. As a result, I will have access to more information, however, my content will be at SPM's site.

I will continue to provide statistical analysis here on the team, but most of my writing will be done in official capacity.

I have to make a few sacrifices to take on this role, and perhaps the hardest will be surrendering my fan experience. My kids were the ones who were most concerned about that aspect, and perhaps they are showing some key insight. We shall have to see.

I will be attending Storm Media Day tomorrow, and I will likely share my personal experience here on the blog, though the interview content will be on SPM's site.

I am excited about the new challenge and the opportunity that SPM has offered me to increase the depth of my coverage and convert from a casual blogger into a more official, journalistic role. I hope those that follow me here will continue to follow me over at SPM.

Cheers,
Patrick

Storm Entry Video

If you haven't seen it, you should.

Also you should read Kevin Pelton's exclusive interview and listen to the recordings. LJ was truly moved, and strangely surprised by the outpouring of genuine support from Seattle fans. She points out, specifically, how the notes wishing her only happiness without regard for her final decison swung the pendulum firmly into the Storm's camp. Her comment that "I really had no idea how passionate people were about the Storm and me coming back." were almost amusing in their true humility. Her choice of the word "family" is a key one, in fact I believe I was one of the ones who used that term in my thank you to her. She is a part of our family and we are just oh so glad she has decided to come home!


Welcome home, Lauren.

The Great Barrier Reef is Intact!

LJ signed with the Storm.

'nuff said.