Guru Newsbreaker: USA Women's Squad to Appear at Delaware

By Mel Greenberg

Get ready for Elena Delle Donne homecoming part two if the Chicago Sky do not get to the WNBA finals but otherwise get ready for a mini WNBA All-Star game at Delaware on Sept. 11.

The event that USA women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma of Connecticut previously referred to has been set up for the Bob Carpenter Center on a Thursday night according to Delaware and USA Basketball sources who requested anonymity until the announcement is officially made.

Coming out of USA training camp in Annapolis, Md., the national squad will play a Red-White scrimmage with all available players except those not involved with the best-of-five WNBA finals.

So unless the Chicago Sky makes the postseason and advances to winning the East, Delle Donne would be back on the court where she had great collegiate success with the Blue Hens for the second time in a few months following the sellout appearance in May when the Sky played the Washington Mystics in a preseason game won by the Sky.

Besides whoever makes the finals from the East holding USA invitations, the only likely missing group from the West right now would be representatives from either the Phoenix Mercury or Minnesota Lynx.

Even if Delle Donne is not on the scene, there will still be a strong homecoming flavor since the staff includes Auriemma, who grew up in Norristown, assistant Dawn Staley, currently running the high-powered South Carolina squad, and Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, who played at La Salle and grew up in South Jersey, though, obviously, she would not be there if the Lynx were still alive defending their WNBA title.

Ancd if Phoenix were ousted, a possible homecoming area trip would involve former Temple all-American Candice Dupree.

If the event becomes a success, Delaware and other area venues could be hosting more USA activities in the run-up to the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

After the Delaware visit, the USA group will head to Bridgeport, Conn., for a previously announced friendly against the Canadian National Team on Sept. 13.







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