"Thank You Monarchs for 2009" Post Season Analysis

#1
Let me be one of the first to formally thank the Sacramento Monarchs for another Summer of basketball and thrilling entertainment that is my personal bridge from the NBA in the Spring to the NFL in the Fall back into the NBA in the Winter.

Although this season did not work out as well as we all would have liked, I believe that we all became aware this season that this team has to begin to move into a new era of Monarchs Basketball. From the GM to the Coach to the Broadcasters and the fans, we all have officially closed a six year chapter of championship calliber basketball:
1 WNBA Title - 2005
2 Western Conference Titles - 2005, 2006
4 Western Conference Finals Appearances - 2003-06
6 post season appearances - 2003-08
21-14 post season record form 2003-08

Now we begin a new era of the unknown. But I am going to be a part of the ride as long as possible in order to see the fruits of the labor, and hope that the fruit taste as good as it used to be.

Here is some post season awards and analysis:

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER – Nicole Powell
Nicole had an outstanding season. A season where I feel she has established herself as the cornerstone of the franchise. I know that that is a lot to put on her shoulders, but I think she deserves it and she for the first time with her play relishes the challenge. Nicole posted career highs in twelve separate statistical categories. She was the team’s go to player down the stretch of many games, and at times was the team’s best rebounder. She arguably had the most complete season in the history of the Sacramento Monarchs.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Rebekkah Brunson
In a bad defensive season for Sacramento, Brunson because of her late season play earns this honor. Brunson led the team in steals, rebounding and block shots. And though her numbers do not compare with the league’s leaders, she was in my mind the best defender on this squad for her intensity and execution alone.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – Courtney Paris
This award is a no brainer due to Courtney being the only rookie on the team, but she gets the mention just due to some games that she really stood out on.

MOST INSPIRATIONAL PLAYER – Ticha Penicheiro
Though she did not have a good season statitstically, she continues to play with passion, heart and with no excuse in spite of injury and age. It is clear to me that Ticha has lost a step, but she plays with so much heart and love for the Monarchs; she leaves it all out on the floor every single game.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER – Hamchetou Maiga Ba
Looking at Maiga Ba’s numbers from 2009 in Sac compared to 2007 and 08 in Houston, she had a down season. But this mention is comparing her from 2006 (her last season in Sac) to 2009, and the numbers improve. But it is not the numbers it is the offensive confidence, the energy, the leadership. All of that has improved drastically since her first stint here. So much so, I say Maiga goes into 2010 as the starting 2 guard, unless she is unseated by a dynamic rookie. Maiga started all 34 games in ’07 and 22 games in ’08. And the minute Whisnant placed her into the line up late this season, I think she got even better.

GAME OF THE YEAR (road) – Phoenix 115, Sacto 104 (ot) at Phoenix, June 14th
Monarchs down by 16 with 8 minutes remaining, and down by 10 with a little less than 3 minutes remaining. Monarchs go on a 10-2 run capped off by a Kara Lawson 3 to tie the game with 20 seconds remaining. Although the Monarchs could not hold on in OT, the 219 combined total points were the third highest in WNBA history.

GAME OF THE YEAR (home) – Sacramento 101, San Antonio 93 (ot)
Another game, the Monarchs had to claw and scratch their way back into a game that I had left them for dead. Becky Hammon and Sophia Young combined for 67 points. The Monarchs played their best first quarter of the season, their best overtime of the season (7-0 run to start OT), and basically stunk in quarters 2, 3 and 4. But they clutched up and played a total team game led by Powell’s 21 points.

OPPONENT OF THE YEAR – Becky Hammon, San Antonio
Four games, 25.5 pts per game (27, 39, 11, 26) including 15- 3 point shots made. She torched Sacramento for 3 out of 4 games, and every shot she made seemed to be huge. I do not know how she does what she does, but she does it, and does it well against Sacramento.

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR – Rebekkah Brunson vs Connecticut – 9/1/09
32 points, 13 rebounds, 13-18 shooting, 2 blocks. Rebekkah on this night was incredible. She had an outstanding final 13 games of the season scoring in double figures in all 13 games and posting 4 double doubles. But this night she was special. Leaping, running, defending. It was a great night for Brunson, and was a message to the rest of the league that she is still a force to be reckoned with.

STATISTIC OF THE YEAR
Nicole Powell hitting 94 of 96 free throws including 54 of 54 at Arco Arena.



ROSTER FOR 2010 (1 to 10 on possibility of return, 10 being best)
Nicole Powell (10) – She ain’t going no where; team’s best player
Rebekkah Brunson (9) – She ain’t either unless there is an “offer that you can’t refuse”
Hamchetou Maiga Ba (8) – Does everything JW asks; will return
Sholanda Robinson (7) – Good energy bench player; if up to me, she comes back
Courtney Paris (7) – Way too early to give up on but is NOT a lock to start in 2010, especially if Tina Charles is the ’10 draft pick
Ticha Penichiero (6) – Will come back, but will have to compete for starting point guard
Kara Lawson (6) – Will come back, but in her normal off the bench 2 guard role
DeMya Walker (5) – 50/50 Should be allowed to come back ONLY to compete for a roster spot.
Laura Harper (3) – Should be traded; there is a market for her particularly on East Coast (Chicago, New York, Detroit)
Kristen Haynie (2) – Should return ONLY if Ticha is starting or gone and there is no other backup alternative for a point guard.
Chelsea Newton (1) – Should not return; whether she does or not up to JW.
 

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
#2
ROSTER FOR 2010 (1 to 10 on possibility of return, 10 being best)
Ticha Penichiero (6) – Will come back, but will have to compete for starting point guard
1) Compete with whom?

2) Penicheiro has earned the right to not have to "compete" for her job on this team. If you think that you can get a better PG than her, then trade her for players/picks/whatever. But, to my way of thinking, beyond Yolanda Griffith, Ticha Penicheiro is the Monarchs. She has most certainly built up the cache to not be required to "earn" her spot, and if Whisenant is inclined to do so, he should be fired immediately.

Your proposition is akin to if Jerry Sloan had told John Stockton that he had to earn his starting position towards the end of his career. When you have a player who has meant as much to their team as Penicheiro has meant to the Monarchs, you either let them ride it out or, if you think they don't have it anymore, you get rid of them. You don't put them through the indignity of having to "earn" their spot.
 
#3
Um...yeah...about the Ticha competing for a starting job thing....

You realize that she finished 2nd in the league in assists this season right? Probably would have finished first if her thumb hadn't been falling off since the 2nd game of the season and her sitting out a few games.

If you've got someone waiting in the wings that can sit at #2 in the league, I'm all ears. But I sense you dont. I'm glad at least that you arent suggesting it be Haynie she compete with, otherwise this post would be longer. ;)
 
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#4

1) Compete with whom?

2) Penicheiro has earned the right to not have to "compete" for her job on this team. If you think that you can get a better PG than her, then trade her for players/picks/whatever. But, to my way of thinking, beyond Yolanda Griffith, Ticha Penicheiro is the Monarchs. She has most certainly built up the cache to not be required to "earn" her spot, and if Whisenant is inclined to do so, he should be fired immediately.

Your proposition is akin to if Jerry Sloan had told John Stockton that he had to earn his starting position towards the end of his career. When you have a player who has meant as much to their team as Penicheiro has meant to the Monarchs, you either let them ride it out or, if you think they don't have it anymore, you get rid of them. You don't put them through the indignity of having to "earn" their spot.
I normally would agree with everything you said. Ticha is Ms. Monarch no question about it. She should never ever be put out to pasture. That is why she will always have a spot on this roster for as long as she likes. With that said, the Monarchs need a point guard. Whisnant even said that himself. In my opinion, it is time to get out of revisionist history mode, and begin to move forward with this roster. If there is not another point guard out there to be had (draft, trade or FA), Ticha is the starting point guard for 2010.

Based on the sentiment I heard on Monarchs Talk tonight, it sounds like most people are down with bringing this roster back "mostly" in tact, with a few changes here or there. I AM CONFUSED:confused:.

Is it a matter of just getting healthy?
Is it just one full season under JW that will make a difference?

I do think that if there is an upgrade that can be made at Center OR Power Forward with Brunson playing the other spot "and" Point Guard in the starting line up, with one scorer at the 3 position coming off the bench if Maiga is the starting 2, that could do the trick.
 
#5
Um...yeah...about the Ticha competing for a starting job thing....

You realize that she finished 2nd in the league in assists this season right? Probably would have finished first if her thumb hadn't been falling off since the 2nd game of the season and her sitting out a few games.

If you've got someone waiting in the wings that can sit at #2 in the league, I'm all ears. But I sense you dont. I'm glad at least that you arent suggesting it be Haynie she compete with, otherwise this post would be longer. ;)
This is absolutely no respect to Ticha. I love her dearly, I think she has served this team well, and continue to do so. I want her to retire as a Monarch. She shot 32 percent this season, according to WNBA.com, 62nd out of all guards in the league, 144th out of all players. Do we not want an upgrade there? Obviously I am totally reading this the wrong way. I would think that if there is a younger, proven point guard that may be (is the operative word) available by draft or trade, the team would at least pursue it?

I know that Ticha was not solely the problem, but neither is she solely the solution.
 

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
#6
This is absolutely no respect [sic] to Ticha. I love her dearly, I think she has served this team well, and continue to do so. I want her to retire as a Monarch. She shot 32 percent this season, according to WNBA.com, 62nd out of all guards in the league, 144th out of all players. Do we not want an upgrade there? Obviously I am totally reading this the wrong way. I would think that if there is a younger, proven point guard that may be (is the operative word) available by draft or trade, the team would at least pursue it?
Yeah, she only shot thirty-two percent for the season, but she's only shot thirty-four percent for her entire career, so it's not exactly like her shot fell off the face of the earth: it, basically, has never been there. In fact, in twelve years in the league, she's only shot better than she did this year half the time. And, let's not forget that she's coming off a year where she had a career high in scoring, and led the league in total assists. I'm not prepared to even go so far as to say that she's a weak link, never mind the weak link.

Public sentiment may be against keeping this team together as is, but if players have to go, I doubt that many people are really in favor of Penicheiro being among them.
 
#7
First of all, let me toss this caveat out there...my comments about the PG competition should not be construed to suggest I agree with the other assessments you made. I'm equally as puzzled about why DeMya's a conditional return and why Paris is a projected starter already. I may comment later about those two.

But back to Ticha....to take a different approach than the one Slim has already countered well....your PG shooting 30something percent isn't actually bad if she's generating, at a minimum, 10ppg by distributing to teammates for baskets.

PR, you didn't phrase that to say "Ticha needs to come back only to train a new PG to take her place" You phrased that as she should only return if she can beat somebody else (presumably better) for the job she's had for 13 years.

Do we need a back up/future replacement? ABSOLUTELY. Does Ticha have to compete against anybody to finish out her career here? ABSOLUTELY NOT.

Of the Robinson, Haynie and Newton trio, only one of those three should return next season. Those three shooting 30% and under is very problematic for an off guard spot. Especially so when they don't really consistently do much else.

Ticha is better on both sides of the ball and contributes there as well too, moreso than the trio I mentioned.

I'm far from being one that wants the band to stay together, but as I ranted on Monarchs Talk tonight, this team is not so bad as to need to be blown completely up and rebuilt. Some players need to go in favor of upgrades, but like Slim...Ticha's name should never be among those up for debate, unless you have Cappie Pondexter on speed dial. And even then I might have Cappie play the 2g and ship somebody else off.
 

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
#8
I'll do you one better: I would not only trade anybody not named Penicheiro and Brunson to get Cappie Pondexter, I would trade everybody not named Penicheiro and Brunson to get Cappie Pondexter. Give me those three, the Number One pick, and seven free agents, and we could have two or three more good shots at a championship before Penicheiro retires.
 
#9
I'll do you one better: I would not only trade anybody not named Penicheiro and Brunson to get Cappie Pondexter, I would trade everybody not named Penicheiro and Brunson to get Cappie Pondexter. Give me those three, the Number One pick, and seven free agents, and we could have two or three more good shots at a championship before Penicheiro retires.
I would trade Brunson for Cappie in a heart beat. PHX won't do that though.

Brunson just can't seem to stay healthy all season. When she's healthy, she's great, possibly a franchise-type player.
 
#10
Cappie is the one player I really like to be on this team. I'd trade ANYONE on this roster to get her......get a good high draft pick player wherever we land in the lottery and build around that.
 

6th

Homer Fan Since 1985
#11
While I would love to have Cappie, I would even rather have Catchings. She is special. Then again, so is Cappie.
 
#14
There you go......let's get cappie and catchings and we're set. :D

Well, considering that the patriarch family owner of the Indiana Fever (Melvin Simon) passed away last week, and that the Simon family has already said that they are not likely to want to continue owning the Fever next season or the season after that (2011), the chances of the Fever folding or moving might become a reality.
 
#15
Well, considering that the patriarch family owner of the Indiana Fever (Melvin Simon) passed away last week, and that the Simon family has already said that they are not likely to want to continue owning the Fever next season or the season after that (2011), the chances of the Fever folding or moving might become a reality.
Are we gonna be first in the dispersal draft???? :D
 
#16
Well, considering that the patriarch family owner of the Indiana Fever (Melvin Simon) passed away last week, and that the Simon family has already said that they are not likely to want to continue owning the Fever next season or the season after that (2011), the chances of the Fever folding or moving might become a reality.
Or....the WNBA takes control of the team and the Fever stay in Indiana for 2010 and moves to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2011.

But I like the sound of this.....with the 1st Pick in the 2010 WNBA Dispersal Draft, the Sacramento Monarchs select TAMEKA CATCHINGS!!!!:D
 
#17
Simon said that before Kroeger stepped in and gave them a big bowl of long term sponsorship money.....


Something may be brewing with them or other struggling teams hooked to a struggling NBA franchise because the fast track that Tulsa is on isn't just for show. If the league couldn't save Houston they can't possibly save any other team. Or at least that's what I want to think.