Purple Reign
Starter
2008 Kings.com Monarchs Preview (UPDATED)
Projected Starting Five
PF – Rebecca Brunson
SF – Nicole Powell
PF – Adrian Williams-Strong
PG – Ticha Penichiero
SG – Chelsea Newton
Key Acquisitions – Laura Harper
Key Bench Players – Kara Lawson, Aquanisha Franklin, Laura Harper, Sholanda Robinson
BACKCOURT – PENICHIERO, NEWTON, LAWSON, FRANKLIN
The back court of Ticha Penicheiro and Chelsea Newton is defensively one of the best, if not the best defensive back court in the WNBA. They both enter in 2008 both slightly injured. As great as they both are defensively, we all know on the offensive end they both still are extremely inconsistent, particularly from the outside; that has to change. This is how tough it was in '07. Between Ticha, Chelsea and Kara their combined field goal percentage was 36 percent. THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!!! They hit a combined 59 3's, and Lawson had 45 of them.
Newton especially is going to have to offensively grow up, she has to find a way to consistently knock down a shot. To be perfectly honest, if I were the coach, Kara Lawson would be starting this season at the two, and Aqua Franklin would be thrown in as the back up point guard to either sink or swim. But I know Coach Jenny is not going to do that because of defense, and I understand. Kara Lawson is the most valuable back court member of the Monarchs. She will be depended upon to be the team leader/spokesperson, the back up point guard, the back up two guard, the sixth player off the bench.
FRONTCOURT – BRUNSON, POWELL, WILLIAMS-STRONG, ROBINSON, ATKINSON
If the Monarchs have any shot of competing this season, it has to be because Nicole Powell is playing at an All-Star level, it is just that simple. For years the Monarchs have been built to share the load offensively. I don't think this team has ever had a player to average 20 points per night. Nicole Powell, I feel has to come close to being that player. The player that is offensively can will lead a team in the fourth quarter and be “the man” (so to speak) She is the only player on this team that is capable to carry “the” offensive load, and we saw some of that last season. Rebekkah Brunson has grown up now. It is time to show the league that she has the talent and is worthy to be spoken about as an upper echelon player. She is by far the best offensive rebounder in the game today, and provides the most energy on the team. If there is one aspect I would like to see Bekkah improve upon is her free throw shooting. Last season she had 140 attempts, and shot 68 percent. and I expect that number to increase because of the attention she will command Adrian Williams-Strong by default is now the Monarchs third starting frontcourt player. Adrian must improve in 2008. She is known around these parts as the player that can not handle the ball. I would like to see that change, as well as her rebounding. She averaged 7.4 rebounds per game in 2003, so she is capable. The Monarchs were the worst defensive rebounding team in the league. I believe Adrian can fix that by going after the tough rebounds rebekkah can't get.
RESERVES
Besides Kara Lawson, the most important player off the bench in my opinion will be Scholanda Robinson. “Scho-time” when she comes into the game will have to continue to provide a spark. She gets to the basket better than anybody else on this team. I have always said her game reminds me so much of Latrell Sprewell. Energy, hustle, slashing to the rim, quickness, midrange pull up jumpers. Hopefully her knee injury does not preclude her from what she does. The only other thing we can ask from Franklin, Atkinson and Harper is when they come in, do not press the issue and make constant mistakes. They are all so young, and not much should be expected. Since John Whisnant came on board, Sacramento always claimed the deepest bench in the league; 11 deep. On paper I don't believe that is the case anymore. Right now Coach Boucek may have to depend upon an eight player rotation at best, until the young reserves can prove themselves.
COACHING - COACH JENNY BOUCEK
This is Coach Boucek's locker room now. She must fully place her finger prints on this squad. I never thought she had free reign to do so last year being Coach Whisnant's successor and with the presence of Yolanda Griffith. I like Coach Jenny; I feel her passion for the game is second to none in this league. I believe her defensive acumen fits this squad and this organization.
OFFENSE
Offensively, there must be some adjustments. Coach Jenny always felt that the team's offense had to be sacrificed for the sake of defense. I never bought that for one second, and still don't believe it. I felt that she never held her players offensively accountable for the turnovers and lack of shot selection, especially Ticha Penichiero. The key to the game is putting the ball in the basket, but that is hard to do when you are running the shot clock down to under five seconds and then throwing a shot up. It is hard to score when the defense is playing five on four and packing in the lane because your perimeter players will not be aggressive. The Monarchs in 2007 were eleventh in FG percentage (.407), twelve in three point attempts, twelve in three pointers made, eighth in total points, and ninth in total points. I understand that this is a defensive squad and still should be, but when the WNBA champions are lighting up the score board (they averaged 83.7 on Monarchs) every single night, the standard offensively has been raised.
DEFENSE
The Monarchs took a step back last season defensively. The Monarchs were tenth in defensive field goal percentage behind the likes of Seattle, Washington and Phoenix which are not known for defense.
I feel that the team defended the perimeter fairly well in '07 (Monarchs led the league in steals), but I also believe that they gave up way too many second chance points and points in the paint (twelve in block shots). I am not an expert on the vaunted White Line Defense, but I will say that defensively the teams post play was not the same play we saw under Coach Whisnant. This was I feel the biggest flaw in 2007 that must change in '08. Team defensive quickness I think is outstanding. The wings and point play straight up ball on ball defense better than anybody else. But where the break down happens is once the ball gets into the post and our wings collapse, leaving players like Jia Perkins, Alana Beard and Seimone Augustus wide open for uncontested shots......and then we don't get the rebound. I hope a healthy Chelsea Newton and a more mobile Kara Lawson can fix that.
INTANGIBLES
The key intangibles for 2008 is home court advantage and veteran leadership. Do not let teams like Chicago, Minnesota come into Arco feeling free about their offense. For the most part I thought home court was pretty good in '07. But games like Chicago and Minnesota cost the team home court advantage against San Antonio in the playoffs. As far as leadership, are Powell and Brunson ready to help Ticha and Kara lead this team. Powell and Brunson normally are the quiet types that lead with their play, but they are the two best players on the team, and with the lost of the two most vocal in Griffith and DeMya Walker, those two players have to be comprehensive leaders.
Projection: 5th – WESTERN CONFERENCE (19-15)
I understand that we are all used to deep playoff runs. I do believe that the team will be in the playoff hunt throughout the season. What this comes down to is how Sacramento will fair head to head against a vulnerable Phoenix, Seattle and San Antonio. If the Monarchs can win at least 7 or 8 of 12 games against Phoenix, Seattle and San Antonio and play at least .500 against the rest of the West, THE MONARCHS WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS. The best thing is expectations are low, based upon what everybody else has added and what Sacramento has lost. This is a season of not knowing what is going to happen this season, for the first time in years. But I do know that it is still going to be a great summer at Arco regardless.
GO MONARCHS, SEE YA'LL TOMORROW NIGHT!!!
Projected Starting Five
PF – Rebecca Brunson
SF – Nicole Powell
PF – Adrian Williams-Strong
PG – Ticha Penichiero
SG – Chelsea Newton
Key Acquisitions – Laura Harper
Key Bench Players – Kara Lawson, Aquanisha Franklin, Laura Harper, Sholanda Robinson
BACKCOURT – PENICHIERO, NEWTON, LAWSON, FRANKLIN
The back court of Ticha Penicheiro and Chelsea Newton is defensively one of the best, if not the best defensive back court in the WNBA. They both enter in 2008 both slightly injured. As great as they both are defensively, we all know on the offensive end they both still are extremely inconsistent, particularly from the outside; that has to change. This is how tough it was in '07. Between Ticha, Chelsea and Kara their combined field goal percentage was 36 percent. THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!!! They hit a combined 59 3's, and Lawson had 45 of them.
Newton especially is going to have to offensively grow up, she has to find a way to consistently knock down a shot. To be perfectly honest, if I were the coach, Kara Lawson would be starting this season at the two, and Aqua Franklin would be thrown in as the back up point guard to either sink or swim. But I know Coach Jenny is not going to do that because of defense, and I understand. Kara Lawson is the most valuable back court member of the Monarchs. She will be depended upon to be the team leader/spokesperson, the back up point guard, the back up two guard, the sixth player off the bench.FRONTCOURT – BRUNSON, POWELL, WILLIAMS-STRONG, ROBINSON, ATKINSON
If the Monarchs have any shot of competing this season, it has to be because Nicole Powell is playing at an All-Star level, it is just that simple. For years the Monarchs have been built to share the load offensively. I don't think this team has ever had a player to average 20 points per night. Nicole Powell, I feel has to come close to being that player. The player that is offensively can will lead a team in the fourth quarter and be “the man” (so to speak) She is the only player on this team that is capable to carry “the” offensive load, and we saw some of that last season. Rebekkah Brunson has grown up now. It is time to show the league that she has the talent and is worthy to be spoken about as an upper echelon player. She is by far the best offensive rebounder in the game today, and provides the most energy on the team. If there is one aspect I would like to see Bekkah improve upon is her free throw shooting. Last season she had 140 attempts, and shot 68 percent. and I expect that number to increase because of the attention she will command Adrian Williams-Strong by default is now the Monarchs third starting frontcourt player. Adrian must improve in 2008. She is known around these parts as the player that can not handle the ball. I would like to see that change, as well as her rebounding. She averaged 7.4 rebounds per game in 2003, so she is capable. The Monarchs were the worst defensive rebounding team in the league. I believe Adrian can fix that by going after the tough rebounds rebekkah can't get.
RESERVES
Besides Kara Lawson, the most important player off the bench in my opinion will be Scholanda Robinson. “Scho-time” when she comes into the game will have to continue to provide a spark. She gets to the basket better than anybody else on this team. I have always said her game reminds me so much of Latrell Sprewell. Energy, hustle, slashing to the rim, quickness, midrange pull up jumpers. Hopefully her knee injury does not preclude her from what she does. The only other thing we can ask from Franklin, Atkinson and Harper is when they come in, do not press the issue and make constant mistakes. They are all so young, and not much should be expected. Since John Whisnant came on board, Sacramento always claimed the deepest bench in the league; 11 deep. On paper I don't believe that is the case anymore. Right now Coach Boucek may have to depend upon an eight player rotation at best, until the young reserves can prove themselves.
COACHING - COACH JENNY BOUCEK
This is Coach Boucek's locker room now. She must fully place her finger prints on this squad. I never thought she had free reign to do so last year being Coach Whisnant's successor and with the presence of Yolanda Griffith. I like Coach Jenny; I feel her passion for the game is second to none in this league. I believe her defensive acumen fits this squad and this organization.
OFFENSE
Offensively, there must be some adjustments. Coach Jenny always felt that the team's offense had to be sacrificed for the sake of defense. I never bought that for one second, and still don't believe it. I felt that she never held her players offensively accountable for the turnovers and lack of shot selection, especially Ticha Penichiero. The key to the game is putting the ball in the basket, but that is hard to do when you are running the shot clock down to under five seconds and then throwing a shot up. It is hard to score when the defense is playing five on four and packing in the lane because your perimeter players will not be aggressive. The Monarchs in 2007 were eleventh in FG percentage (.407), twelve in three point attempts, twelve in three pointers made, eighth in total points, and ninth in total points. I understand that this is a defensive squad and still should be, but when the WNBA champions are lighting up the score board (they averaged 83.7 on Monarchs) every single night, the standard offensively has been raised.
DEFENSE
The Monarchs took a step back last season defensively. The Monarchs were tenth in defensive field goal percentage behind the likes of Seattle, Washington and Phoenix which are not known for defense.
I feel that the team defended the perimeter fairly well in '07 (Monarchs led the league in steals), but I also believe that they gave up way too many second chance points and points in the paint (twelve in block shots). I am not an expert on the vaunted White Line Defense, but I will say that defensively the teams post play was not the same play we saw under Coach Whisnant. This was I feel the biggest flaw in 2007 that must change in '08. Team defensive quickness I think is outstanding. The wings and point play straight up ball on ball defense better than anybody else. But where the break down happens is once the ball gets into the post and our wings collapse, leaving players like Jia Perkins, Alana Beard and Seimone Augustus wide open for uncontested shots......and then we don't get the rebound. I hope a healthy Chelsea Newton and a more mobile Kara Lawson can fix that. INTANGIBLES
The key intangibles for 2008 is home court advantage and veteran leadership. Do not let teams like Chicago, Minnesota come into Arco feeling free about their offense. For the most part I thought home court was pretty good in '07. But games like Chicago and Minnesota cost the team home court advantage against San Antonio in the playoffs. As far as leadership, are Powell and Brunson ready to help Ticha and Kara lead this team. Powell and Brunson normally are the quiet types that lead with their play, but they are the two best players on the team, and with the lost of the two most vocal in Griffith and DeMya Walker, those two players have to be comprehensive leaders.
Projection: 5th – WESTERN CONFERENCE (19-15)
I understand that we are all used to deep playoff runs. I do believe that the team will be in the playoff hunt throughout the season. What this comes down to is how Sacramento will fair head to head against a vulnerable Phoenix, Seattle and San Antonio. If the Monarchs can win at least 7 or 8 of 12 games against Phoenix, Seattle and San Antonio and play at least .500 against the rest of the West, THE MONARCHS WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS. The best thing is expectations are low, based upon what everybody else has added and what Sacramento has lost. This is a season of not knowing what is going to happen this season, for the first time in years. But I do know that it is still going to be a great summer at Arco regardless.
GO MONARCHS, SEE YA'LL TOMORROW NIGHT!!!
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