Monarchs seek finishing touch
One more win will bring title repeat
By Melody Gutierrez -- Bee Staff Writer
The purple confetti is stocked, the trophy is polished, and Arco Arena is prepared to host a second consecutive WNBA championship ceremony for the home team.
Now all the Monarchs have to do is win Game 4 of the Finals tonight against the Detroit Shock, something they can't help but visualize at this point.
"You can't not think about it," forward Nicole Powell said. "It was a great feeling last year."
But Powell doesn't want to get ahead of herself. Though the Monarchs lead the best-of-five championship series 2-1, she gives Detroit its due, saying Game 4 will be as tough as any Sacramento has played. However, it wasn't on the court where the Monarchs have fought their toughest battles.
Forward DeMya Walker returned to the team in late June after giving birth in April. Before that, injuries mounted early when center Yolanda Griffith's knees filled with fluid, and guard Kara Lawson was sidelined by an illness. Then coach John Whisenant was dealt an emotional blow by his mother's death.
Standing at 7-7 and misfiring for many reasons, the Monarchs put it together and won nine of their next 10 games on the way to a 21-13 regular-season record.
"We never let what was going on with this team get to us," Griffith said. "We just battled. This is a special year because of how we started."
Whisenant also repeated the same phrase to his players all season -- worry about getting into the playoffs, and they would figure it out from there.
"I knew logically it would take all season for us to be close to a championship-level team," said Whisenant, who early in the season interviewed for the then-vacant Kings coaching job. "We placed ourselves in the best place possible."
The Monarchs earned the second seed in the Western Conference playoffs, where they blindsided Houston and Los Angeles before winning Games 1 and 3 in the Finals against Detroit.
"I think this would be especially gratifying because we were able to hang in there and get ourselves here," Whisenant said. "Certainly, winning would put us in an elite group. It's something the girls will tell their grandkids about. I'm already telling mine."
The Monarchs, who have won 11 consecutive home playoff games, would be the third team to repeat as champions. Houston won the first four league championships (1997 to 2000), followed by Los Angeles (2001 and 2002).
But no one in the Monarchs' locker room is guaranteeing a series victory and title repeat. Guard Ticha Penicheiro said remaining humble is important, and Griffith gives variables before declaring the Monarchs a better team.
"Everyone knows what they have to do to win," Griffith said after Tuesday's practice, sitting courtside and looking relaxed. "That's why we are better. We are a team. That's what makes us special."
If the Shock's focus and desire to win return tonight to force a Game 5, the series heads back to Detroit on Saturday. A scheduling conflict would force the teams to play at Joe Louis Arena in downtown Detroit instead of the Palace of Auburn Hills, some 40 minutes north.
Shock coach Bill Laimbeer, who guaranteed his team would win the series, said he could see the competitive drive returning to his players.
"You can see the us-versus-the world mentality starting to creep in," said Laimbeer, who was fined Tuesday after questioning the officiating in Game 3.
One more win will bring title repeat
By Melody Gutierrez -- Bee Staff Writer
The purple confetti is stocked, the trophy is polished, and Arco Arena is prepared to host a second consecutive WNBA championship ceremony for the home team.
Now all the Monarchs have to do is win Game 4 of the Finals tonight against the Detroit Shock, something they can't help but visualize at this point.
"You can't not think about it," forward Nicole Powell said. "It was a great feeling last year."
But Powell doesn't want to get ahead of herself. Though the Monarchs lead the best-of-five championship series 2-1, she gives Detroit its due, saying Game 4 will be as tough as any Sacramento has played. However, it wasn't on the court where the Monarchs have fought their toughest battles.
Forward DeMya Walker returned to the team in late June after giving birth in April. Before that, injuries mounted early when center Yolanda Griffith's knees filled with fluid, and guard Kara Lawson was sidelined by an illness. Then coach John Whisenant was dealt an emotional blow by his mother's death.
Standing at 7-7 and misfiring for many reasons, the Monarchs put it together and won nine of their next 10 games on the way to a 21-13 regular-season record.
"We never let what was going on with this team get to us," Griffith said. "We just battled. This is a special year because of how we started."
Whisenant also repeated the same phrase to his players all season -- worry about getting into the playoffs, and they would figure it out from there.
"I knew logically it would take all season for us to be close to a championship-level team," said Whisenant, who early in the season interviewed for the then-vacant Kings coaching job. "We placed ourselves in the best place possible."
The Monarchs earned the second seed in the Western Conference playoffs, where they blindsided Houston and Los Angeles before winning Games 1 and 3 in the Finals against Detroit.
"I think this would be especially gratifying because we were able to hang in there and get ourselves here," Whisenant said. "Certainly, winning would put us in an elite group. It's something the girls will tell their grandkids about. I'm already telling mine."
The Monarchs, who have won 11 consecutive home playoff games, would be the third team to repeat as champions. Houston won the first four league championships (1997 to 2000), followed by Los Angeles (2001 and 2002).
But no one in the Monarchs' locker room is guaranteeing a series victory and title repeat. Guard Ticha Penicheiro said remaining humble is important, and Griffith gives variables before declaring the Monarchs a better team.
"Everyone knows what they have to do to win," Griffith said after Tuesday's practice, sitting courtside and looking relaxed. "That's why we are better. We are a team. That's what makes us special."
If the Shock's focus and desire to win return tonight to force a Game 5, the series heads back to Detroit on Saturday. A scheduling conflict would force the teams to play at Joe Louis Arena in downtown Detroit instead of the Palace of Auburn Hills, some 40 minutes north.
Shock coach Bill Laimbeer, who guaranteed his team would win the series, said he could see the competitive drive returning to his players.
"You can see the us-versus-the world mentality starting to creep in," said Laimbeer, who was fined Tuesday after questioning the officiating in Game 3.
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