WNBA Playoffs: Former Big East Rivals Power Phoenix to Finals

By Mel Greenberg

PHILADELPHIA _ What a difference some time in the desert can make.

Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter, who once starred for the Big East Conference’s most intense rivarly in Connecticut and Rutgers, are now best buds heading as teammates to a WNBA championship series with the Phoenix Mercury

Pondexter, the former Rutgers sensation, poured in 33 points on Saturday night, while Taurasi, the anti-Geno Auriemma personality from Connecticut, did her thing, with added help from Australia’s Penny Taylor and a solid supporting cast to slip past the San Antonio Silver Stars in another high-octane scoring close encounter to gain a sweep and capture the Western Conference.

The Eastern champion remains to be determined,which the Indiana Fever can decide Sunday by beating the defending WNBA champion Detroit Shock in the Motor City.

Of course, a sweep of the Shock seems almost unthinkable, but how many Detroit fans thought they’d be reading the front pages of their local newspaper on Sunday morning containing descriptions of the collegiate football upset of the century in Applachian State’s stunner over Michigan?

Since her high school days in Chicago, Pondexter has sported a tattoo on one arm that spoke of the future.

“No more,” Pondexter beamed Saturday night when asked if she would be adding to the collection.

Taurasi thought differently.

“She’s the present, she needs a new one or to get that changed.”

There’s also something about Taurasi and Philly guys in the coaching business.

At UConn, as a freshman, had she not suffered a horrendous shooting slump in the 2001 NCAA national seminfinals in the second half against ultimate champion Notre Dame, Taurasi, together with Norristown’s Auriemma, might have won four straight titles.

A year ago in Taurasi’s third season in the pros – she was the the No. 1 draft pick in 2004 -- former La Salle and NBA coach Paul Westhead, a graduate of St. Joseph’s, arrived with his lightning offensive schemes.

Pondexter was added as the overall No. 2 pick of last year’s draft.

It took a while for everyone to figure Westhead’s system, but by the end of the season, the Mercury won the final seven games but lost out on a playoff berth on a tie-breaker with the Houston Comets.

This season, Phoenix picked up where the Mercury bid adieu to the summer of 2006 and stormed to the No. 1 seed in the West.

If Indiana wins the East, there will actually be Rutgers and Connecticut intra-collegiate reunions.

Fever backup center Tammy Sutton-Brown was a member of the Rutgers 2000 Final Four contingent in Philadelphia. Indiana also has former Connecticut star Ann Strother, who was traded from Phoenix in the offseason.

The Mercury also have another former Huskies product in Kelly Schumacher.

This is also the first season for new Phoenix general manager Ann Meyers-Drysdale, a Hall of Famer and former UCLA star who had spent a large part of her career as a broadcast analyst of women’s games.

One of the Mercury substitutes, by the way, is former Penn State scoring ace Kelly Mazzante, who had her share of woe from Taurasi’s alma mater, but who was fortunate enough to be claimed by Phoenix off the demise of the former Charlotte Sting organization.

-- Mel