Swish Appeal: All Posts by Kelcey WrightBasketball is basketball.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49391/swish-fave.png2016-12-19T22:58:11-05:00https://www.swishappeal.com/authors/kelcey-wright/rss2016-12-19T22:58:11-05:002016-12-19T22:58:11-05:00Winning mindset propels Huskies
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<p>No. 12 Ohio State gave No. 1 UConn a run for their money in the first two quarters of the game. However, Katie Lou Samuelson and Napheesa Collier took over in the third and didn’t look back.</p> <p id="5YgYna"><strong>Storrs, CT — </strong>The defending national champions continue their winning streak after defeating the 12th ranked Ohio State 82-63 on Monday night. </p>
<p id="V2z656">UConn’s streak hits 85 with the help of Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson who added 27 and 26 points, respectively. </p>
<p id="yFqFvg">The veteran Huskies capitalized on three early turnovers from the Buckeyes to gain a 14-7 score mid-way through the first quarter. Buckeye’s Kelsey Mitchell drilled a long-bomb buzzer beater from the middle of the court to bring her team within three points at the end of the quarter — she would end with seven points in the first. </p>
<p id="RdbqrZ">But UConn would shake it off in the second; going on a 6-0 run and extending the lead to 34-24 with just under four minutes left in the first half. </p>
<p id="jeb7JN">In a one-minute span, Ohio State’s Mitchell went eight straight and helped cut the Huskies lead to 40-34 going into halftime; Mitchel finished the half with 19 points, while the Huskies were led by Samuelson with 13 points. </p>
<p id="F4Ei7R">“We came out of halftime really emphasizing that she had 19 points and we knew she was going to do that,” said Collier. “We tried to stay up on her and not let her shoot open threes like she was in the first half.”</p>
<p id="SZ7kce">Collier opened the second half with a wide open three and Samuelson continued putting in work in the third period with a smooth jumper and deep three to take a 47-36 lead in the first couple minutes. She was five for eight from the long range in the third quarter. Collier added 23 points and gave the Huskies their biggest lead of the game halfway through the third. </p>
<p id="U70Qg8"><em>"</em>The third quarter was really key for us in this game,” said Samuelson. “I think we kind of blew it open, and we knew that they were going to go on runs, but we knew that we were going to go on runs too and once we got that run in the third quarter we decided we wanted to keep it. We weren't going to let them back into the game.”</p>
<p id="uunA0N">The Buckeyes couldn’t connect for 3:30, ended the third quarter down 20 points. </p>
<p id="4oY7Bg">“To their credit, we came out of the locker room flat, but they took control of the game, but in general they got 28 points off of turnovers, and that was the difference,” said Kevin McGuff, Ohio State’s head coach. </p>
<p id="a1OQfE">“I thought our defense was actually ok, our kids played hard, but we just did not execute well enough offensively, and they are the best team in college basketball taking those turnovers and converting them into points.”</p>
<p id="Qz1zH1">UConn opened up the lead in the fourth quarter; Collier finishing with 27 points and 11 rebounds, her seventh game where she’s scored over 20 points and second double-double this season. Ohio State’s Mitchell led the way for the Buckeyes with 23 points and 2 rebounds; Stephanie Mavunga finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds. </p>
<p id="CBWNYh">Ohio State will suit up next against the Winthrop Eagles on Dec. 21, and the Huskies will look to continue their winning streak on Dec. 21 against Nebraska on the same day. </p>
https://www.swishappeal.com/2016/12/19/14020238/uconn-throttles-ohio-state-samuelsonKelcey Wright2015-12-01T11:00:03-05:002015-12-01T11:00:03-05:00The Great White North
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<p>This past summer during the Pan Am Games and Fiba Americas, there was a salvo sent by Canada, as they won the Gold Medal. Their salvo was powerful: "we have arrived, we have risen -- and we are here to stay." </p> <p></p>
<p><b>Edmonton --</b> As the clock ticked down, 3...2...1... the fans' chants echoed louder, "Rio! Rio! Rio!"</p>
<p>The Edmonton, Alberta gym turned into a concert of Canadian pride: A team that was knocked out of the quarterfinals at the 2012 London Olympic Games, now has a chance to redeem themselves.</p>
<p>"The last two minutes [of the game] felt like they took 15 minutes," said Michelle Plouffe, a six-year veteran. "We were just waiting for the buzzer to sound to run into center court and celebrate."</p>
<p>As Canadian basketball heads into an exciting new era with so much hope and promise for the young batch of talent on the men's side making a splash in the NBA, such as <span>Andrew Wiggins</span>, <span>Tristan Thompson</span> and Jamal Murray, it's the senior women's national team that has taken the lead internationally.</p>
<p>The Canadian women's basketball team is on the rise.</p>
<p>And they're on their way to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.</p>
<p>"This summer was different," said Natalie Achonwa, the 2015 WNBA rookie star. "It was special because we got to play two tournaments at home. It's been years coming."</p>
<p>The team began their summer at the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games, upsetting team USA in the finals and making history by being the first Canadian team to win a gold medal at a home Pan Am event.</p>
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<div class="pullquote">"This is a special group of women. You can see when they play and the way they sing the National Anthem, they do it with such pride. They wear it with a smile, and they have fun, and they enjoy each other. I'd say the magic is in how much they enjoy each other's company while they play together." said <span>Michele O'Keefe, President and CEO of Canada Basketball.</span>
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<p>Then, just three weeks later, they dominated all opponents at the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship in Edmonton, Alberta, winning their second gold of the summer over Cuba 82-66 and qualifying for Rio.</p>
<p>"Everyone was excited. We had packed houses, and it was incredible," said Achonwa. "People were standing up all game because there were no seats. It felt like family; the support was genuine. It's a great feeling."</p>
<p>This was just the second time Canada has won the FIBA Americas tournament, previously winning it in 1995 in Hamilton, Ontario. The team came fifth at the last tournament, just barely qualifying for the 2012 Olympic Games.</p>
<p>And it's no surprise that the chemistry the team shares is strong. Many veterans, such as Kim Gaucher, Tamara Tatham, and Shona Thorburn have been representing Canada for over a decade. However, the main reason that Canada has earned its name as a medal contender in Rio next summer is the fact that they are a battle-hardened, veteran group: most of the team played in the Olympics in 2012, with a few new additions that accent the veterans perfectly.</p>
<p>"We've had players that have put in so much time and effort, they've kind of spent their lives building this program," said Plouffe. "They've been there for the lowest of the lows, and now they're able to help build the program they've stuck with it."</p>
<p>But it's not only veterans who make this group truly exceptional. Young players like, Kia Nurse and Miah-Marie Langlois, both play significant roles on the team. Nurse, the 19-year-old University of Connecticut point guard, was the leading scorer for the team in both tournaments over the summer: scoring 33 points in the Gold Medal matchup against USA and 14 in the Finals against Cuba.</p>
<p>"There were great veterans who were still on the team and then we had a young crew start to come in and crack the lineup," said O'Keefe.</p>
<p>The mix of veterans and rookies will help the Senior Women's National Team remain dominant and continue to grow. They're good now, but they'll likely become even better.</p>
<p>"In the next couple years, when players start to retire, there shouldn't be a drop-off because the development is so good," said Achonwa, of the team whose average age is just 25-years-old.</p>
<p>"Upward momentum," Anchonwa continued. "It's competitive to make the Senior National Team. The earlier years, we would get invited, and that was pretty much the team. And now, we're having to cut people, and you really have to fight to make the team, and that just shows the development in our elite programs from the cadette team on up."</p>
<p>The Cadette Women's National Team, aged 16 and under, is raising talented athletes to bring into the senior program. This summer they made history at the 2015 FIBA Americas by beating Brazil in overtime and winning the nation's first gold medal in that FIBA Americas age group.</p>
<p>"This summer especially is opening up a lot of doors for our women's teams," said Plouffe, who's twin sister is also on the national team. "I know a couple of summers ago, no one even knew we had a women's basketball team. Now we're opening people's eyes to the opportunity that we have."</p>
<p>At the 2012 Olympic Games, the women finished in eighth place, better than their tenth place finish in 2000. In the last five Olympic Games, they haven't finished better than fourth place.</p>
<p>It was evident that something needed to change.</p>
<p>And after the 2012 London Olympic Games, then head coach, Alison McNeil retired and ended her long coaching career with the Senior Women's Basketball Team.</p>
<p>"We did a worldwide search for a new head coach, and we realized that our best candidate was homegrown in Lisa Thomaidis," said O'Keefe, of the long-time assistant coach of the national team. "Lisa was the right person for our next revolution, our next phase."</p>
<p>And almost instantaneously, the team began to form into the powerhouse that was showcased in the summer of 2015.</p>
<p>"The 2014 world championships were one of those tournaments where we were the talk of the tournament," said O'Keefe. "People loved their style of play; they loved the new coaching style. They were upbeat and played with a lot of speed and heart. And the team finished fifth which I think was their best results in a long time."</p>
<p>And that brought them one step closer to their ultimate goal.</p>
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https://www.swishappeal.com/2015/12/1/9818492/oh-canada-canadian-basketball-riseKelcey Wright2015-08-03T00:08:53-04:002015-08-03T00:08:53-04:00Sparks inching closer to playoffs with win
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<p>The Los Angeles Sparks pulled out a close victory over the San Antonio Stars. With the win, the Sparks moved within a half game out of the last playoff spot in the West. </p> <p></p>
<p>With five players scoring in double digits, the Los Angeles Sparks squeezed out an 80-78 victory over the San Antonio Stars on Sunday.</p>
<p>The Sparks plummeted to the league's worst record at the All-Star break, but now are just 1/2 game behind the Stars in the run for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.</p>
<p><i>"</i>The key to winning the game was in the third quarter when we gave up 10 [points]," said Candace Parker, of the LA Sparks. "That was huge, that's what Coach Agler is trying to instill, is that mentality, that fight, and we had it tonight."</p>
<p>Parker finished second in team scoring with 17 points and 11 rebounds in her second game back in action after taking time off earlier in the season. Jantel Lavender finished the game with 20 points and eight boards, just two rebounds short of her eleventh double-double of the season.</p>
<p><i>"</i>A lot of times people don't talk about [Lavender], but she's been so consistent this year," said Brian Agler, head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks.</p>
<p>However, it was the points off the bench that made the difference in this contest. The Spark's Alana Beard added 15 points and a game-high seven assists to help guide the Sparks to their second consecutive win of the season.</p>
<p>"We have a bench, and they kept us in it," said Parker. "They tied it up in the second quarter. The Stars got back in there and got it back down again, but we're capable of going on runs as a team and if we come out with that mentality, all the time would be great."</p>
<p>The Stars took an early 23-19 lead at the end of the first quarter, and Jia Perkins led all scorers with seven points and three boards heading into the second quarter.</p>
<p>And after multiple up's and down's in the first half, the Stars pulled away heading into half with a 49-39 lead. Perkins led the way with 17 points at the break; Danielle Robinson added 10 points and four assists.</p>
<p>Beard led the Sparks with nine points and Lavender added six boards heading into the break.</p>
<p>However, despite the 10 point deficit, the Sparks were able to chip away at the Star's defensive game, ending the third quarter trailing by just one point.</p>
<p>"I think it was the defense in the second half is how we lost the game. They started hitting all those shots down the stretch and kind of put us in a pickle," said the Star's Perkins, who finished the game with a season-high 24 points.</p>
<p>In spite of the Star's 60% shooting from beyond the arc, it was defense in the second half that made the difference; the Sparks finished the game with 26 assists and seven blocks, along with 28 defensive rebounds compared the Star's 14 assists, zero blocks and 19 rebounds on the defensive end.</p>
<p>The Sparks are back at home on Tuesday when they try to keep their streak alive against the league's best team, the Minnesota Lynx. The Stars lace up again on Wednesday in Washington to take on the Mystics.</p>
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https://www.swishappeal.com/2015/8/3/9088579/sparks-win-now-1-2-game-out-of-final-playoff-spotKelcey Wright2015-07-20T08:00:03-04:002015-07-20T08:00:03-04:00Maya Moore nets 32 points and 10 rebounds in win
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<p>Minnesota continued their hot streak on Sunday with the 79-72 victory over Tulsa. After dropping just two points in the first half, Minnesota's Maya Moore exploded in the second half of the game to shock Tulsa with a 32 point, 10 rebound performance to prove why she owns the league's MVP title. </p> <p></p>
<p>Maya Moore is making a claim to repeat as MVP with her season-high 32-point, 10 rebound performance in <a href="http://www.wnba.com/game/20150719/MINTUL/">Minnesota's victory over Tulsa</a> on Sunday.</p>
<p>The Lynx, who hold the league's best record, came out on top of the 79-72 match up at the BOK Center even without key players, <a href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2015/7/17/8997245/seimone-augustus-has-surgery-on-knee-out-indefinitely">Seimone Augustus</a> and <a href="http://www.swishappeal.com/2015/7/16/8979375/monica-wright-has-knee-surgery-out-indefinitely">Monica Wright</a>, who were both sidelined due to knee injuries.</p>
<p>"Our game plan is always the same," said Cheryl Reeve, head coach of the Minnesota Lynx. "I think over the last week or two, we have tried to be more intentional about being aggressive in transition and moving the ball and getting a lot of good flow."</p>
<p>However, at the end of the first quarter, it was Tulsa that came out with the strong start, up by seven heading into the second.</p>
<p>"I thought we came out for a good, solid three-quarters. Actually, I'd say two-and-a-half," said Fred Williams, head coach of the Tulsa Shock. "First quarter, we really came out well."</p>
<p>Tulsa's Plenette Pierson led both teams with eight points after the first, she would continue on for 12 points at the half. Odyssey Sims followed with 10 of her own to help secure the 34-27 lead going into the third. Sims ended the game with 12 points, and Riquna Williams added 19.</p>
<p>"[The Lynx] just came out aggressive in the third quarter," said Pierson, who ended the game with 15 points. "They came out and Maya [Moore] woke up and got going."</p>
<p>The reigning MVP was held to only two points in the first half, but erupted early in the third. Moore went on a seven-point run including Minnesota's first long bomb of the game, aiding the team's 9-0 run.</p>
<p>"You can't hold a great player down for very long," said coach Reeve.</p>
<p>Moore ended the third with 16 points and Rebekkah Brunson had already reached double-double stats heading into the final quarter. She would finish the game with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Minnesota's Asjha Jones contributed 16 points to the victory.</p>
<p>But it was Moore's 30-point second half basketball clinic that stole the show.</p>
<p>"She was hot tonight, it was hard for them to stop her, so we just wanted to put her in a position where she continued to score," said Brunson.</p>
<p>The Lynx hope to continue their hot streak on July 21 when they face the Connecticut Sun. Tulsa will lace up the same day when they face the Washington Mystics.</p>
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https://www.swishappeal.com/2015/7/20/9001681/moore-lights-up-shock-drops-32-points-in-winKelcey Wright2015-07-16T07:38:21-04:002015-07-16T07:38:21-04:00Sky's bench was catalyst in blowout over Mystics
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<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Even with Chicago Sky superstar Elena Delle Donne having an off night offensively, the Sky's bench stepped up immensely, as Chicago demolished the Washington Mystics.</p> <p></p>
<p>Elena Delle Donne was held to just 11 points on Wednesday in the Sky's <a href="http://www.wnba.com/game/20150715waschi/">85-57 victory over the Mystics</a>.</p>
<p>However, it was Chicago's bench, who scored 42 points, which led them to their fourth straight win. Allie Quigley scored a team-high 15 points, and Jamierra Faulkner finished with 12.</p>
<p>"I think sometimes you try to cut the head of the snake off, but Elena is not just the head of our snake," said Pokey Chatman, Chicago Sky head coach and general manager. "She doesn't have to score for us to be successful."</p>
<p>Delle Donne picked up her eighth double-double of the season despite shooting just 36% from the field, as she grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.</p>
<p>After only leading by three going into the first quarter, it was the second quarter when the Sky began to break away, outscoring the Mystics 27-11.</p>
<p>In her first career start, Clarissa Dos Santos scored all 11 of her points in the second quarter, along with Cappie Pondexter, who scored 10 of her 14 points in the second quarter as well.</p>
<p>The Mystics' Stefanie Dolson headed to the third with 11 points and six boards, she would end with 15 and 10, her fourth double-double of the season. Tierra Ruffin-Pratt went 3-for-5 in the first half, finishing the game with 13 points on 4-for-6 shooting.</p>
<p>But after the 51-32 halftime score, the Mystics would never make it back into the game. Chicago led Washington by as many as 31 in the second half.</p>
<p>"When they came to the huddle to start the third quarter I told them I wanted Washington to score less than 18 points," said Chatman. "Once we got that momentum and got to the next level of defense of helping the helper and then boxing out, we were in good shape."</p>
<p>The Sky forced 15 turnovers which led to 18 points, while the Mystics had only nine points off nine turnovers.</p>
<p>"I think we were just trying to force some things, not letting the play come to us, and reading the defense," said Mystics center Stefanie Dolson. "We were a little hyped up for the game and weren't making good decisions on offense and that led to a lot of turnovers."</p>
<p>Chicago used its team speed to score 15 fast break points, while Washington earned just four - another reason, Mystic's head coach, Mike Thibault, agreed that Chicago came to play on Wednesday.</p>
<p>Another contributing factor to the decisive victory was points in the paint. Chicago scored an impressive 40 points in the paint, while Washington was held to just 22.</p>
<p>"They [Chicago Sky] outplayed us in every phase of the game. We didn't make shots, they did," he said. "Chicago played great. They were ready."</p>
<p>Both teams will lace up again on Friday when Washington faces Indiana and Chicago will take on Minnesota.</p>
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https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2015/7/16/8975881/bench-play-helps-sky-dismantle-mysticsKelcey Wright