The Guru’s WNBA + UPSHOT Reports: Jones’ Vintage Night Carries New York Over Toronto While Phoenix Slide Ends; Jacksonville Balance Controls Charlotte

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsgurux

NEW YORK – Night three of the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup series Wednesday brought two divisional games, one here at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn where a crowd of 14,574 was treated to what could be termed a large dose of nostalgia by the Liberty (6-4) who won their straight, a 97-62 victory over expansion Toronto ( 5-5) and former coach Sandy Brondello.

Out West Phoenix (3-8) snapped a six-game losing streak with a narrow 72-68 triumph at Seattle (3-8) before a Climate Pledge Arena crowd of 9,109 in the state of Washington.

In the new four-team UPSHOT League in the first of only two games being played this week Jacksonville (5-2) moved from a half-game lead to a full game over idle Greensboro (4-3) and Savannah (4-3) by gaining a 67-59 matinee road win at Charlotte (1-6), which will host Savannah in the other game Saturday at 4 p.m.

Liberty Take 3rd Straight Beating Tempo and Former Coach

George Washington grad Jonquel Jones gave a performance akin to an earlier time winning WNBA MVP honors playing with the Connecticut Sun but in this one helping her present team with 22 points and 17 rebounds.

It was the first meeting against Toronto coach Sandy Brondello, whom the Liberty let go after last fall’s first-round exit courtesy of Phoenix one season removed from the franchise’s only championship in New York’s then-28-year history dating to the league’s inaugural summer summer of 1997.

The game also paired two sisters against each other – Satou Sabally who signed with New York after being a force in Phoenix’s run to the championship series where the Mercury were dominated by Las Vegas winning a third title in four straight tries while Nyara was taken from the Liberty in the expansion draft.

Sidelined with an injured right hand but part of the homecoming delegation on Toronto was Isabelle Harrison who went to the Tempo in free agency.

“I always love seeing my sister, so that was great,” Satou said. “I love her so much and I’m just happy to see her thrive on an expansion team.”

Still out of action for New York was Sabrina Ionescu, who has played one game due to back issues.

Brondello got a loud ovation from the crowd during a video tribute to the three during a timeout early in the game.

“Coming back, obviously it was nice,” Brondello said. "Everyone moves around this league. Going back to an old team, and to get the appreciation that we get, that’s always special. The fans have been amazing. It’s a special group here and something that we’ll remember.”

Both expansion teams – the other Portland - bringing the WNBA to 15 members following the debut of Golden State last summer have done well so far.

“It was great to see them,” said Jones, the adopted daughter of Temple coach Diane Richardson. “Obviously, we made history in this building together.”

In this one, though, powered by Jones, trailing 22-17 early in the second quarter New York launched a 15-2 run bowtied by a pair of 3-pointers from Satou, the first over her sister in transition.

Satou only recently joined the action after dealing with a concussion suffered in the finals.

“I have a high expectation for myself, so I’m not there yet, but I’m getting there,” she said.

Breanna Stewart had 17 of her 19 points for the home club in the second half.

Jones is the fourth franchise player with 20 points and 15 rebounds and joined retired Hall of Famers Tamika Catchings and Lauren Jackson as the only ones with three3-pointers and 12 boards in a half.

Marine Johannes had 15 points and Leonie Fiebich had 14 and both were joined in double digits by rookie Pauline Astier with 10 points.

Liberty coach Chris DeMarco, hired from the NBA San Francisco Warriors’ staff to follow Brondello, was pleased with his team holding the Tempo to six 3-pointers.

“J.J. dominated this game. Dominated the game,” he said. “When she’s throwing the glass on two ends, it’s a huge lift for everyone else and they start putting two bodies on her.”

Toronto’s Marina Marbrey and Brittney Sykes each scored 17 points, but concern has arisen after late in the game first-round pick at sixth Kiki Rice out of NCAA champion UCLA had a shot blocked and her left leg bent backwards while landing.

Brondello, and Australian and coach of the Aussie nationals, had no update, hoping for the best.

As for Toronto’s early success, “I’m going to coach some great games, some good games, and I’m going to make some mistakes,” she said. “Let me learn by doing it. I’ve been doing this for quite a long time. I know what a winning culture looks like and a winning team.”

Mercury Finally Rises by Calming Storm

Rutgers grad and Philly native Kahleah Copper scored 16 points while Mercury teammate Natasha Mack matched it with her career-best while grabbing 10 rebounds.

Seattle’s newcomer Awa Fam had 18 points and Natisha Hiedemann scored 15 but the Storm dropped their fourth straight falling behind for good 61-59 on Copper’s shot with 5:37 left in regulation.

Copper going 4-for-4 from the line offset a late attempt.

Monique Akoa Makani scored 12 for Phoenix and DeWanna Bonner had half her 10 points in the last four minutes.

“We just really stayed together,” said Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts. “We’ve played some really good teams lately and haven’t finished the way we wanted, so we stayed together, we had some different rotations, and we competed.”

Looking Ahead

Thursday’s twin bill on Amazon Prime has Atlanta at Indiana at 7:30 p.m. and Golden State at Minnesota at 9 p.m.

On Friday, ION and League Pass carry all three games; Connecticut at Chicago at 7:30 p.m., and Dallas at Los Angeles and Phoenix at Portland, both at 10 p.m.

On Saturday, ABC will air two West games in the afternoon: Seattle at Minnesota at 1 p.m. and Golden State at Las Vegas at 3 p.m. while in the East at night League Pass will air Washington at Atlanta at 6 p.m. followed by CBS and Paramount+ carrying Indiana at New York at 8 p.m.

Sunday League Pass will air Chicago at Toronto at 3 p.m., while NBA TV at 7 will air Portland at Los Angeles.

For those new to paying attention to the WNBA, the league standings regarding playoff and seeds are combined without regard to the best teams in the East and West.

UPSHOT Action: Balance Carries Jacksonville

A 19-7 lead after the first period enabled the Waves jump in front of the host Crown and hold them off the rest of the way in Charlotte.

Ariel Hearn and Tennessee grad Rennia Davis each scored 12 points and Davis double doubled with 11 boards, while Maryland’s Shyanne Sellers scored 11 with seven boards, Northwestern’s Lindsey Pulliam scored 10 and Khayla Pointer just missed in double figures with nine points.

Jacksonville showed strength defensively keeping Charlotte’s Deja Kelly to 14 points and Saint Joseph’s grad Chloe Welch had 10 points in 20 minutes.

The Crown’s Ugonne “Michelle” Oniyah had a near double-double with 8 points and 8 boards.

“I wouldn’t say it was our prettiest win of the year, but anytime you can get a win on the road in this league it’s a good day,” said Jacksonville coach and Philadelphia native Jess Bogia.

“I thought we did a good job of staying composed when they made their run in the fourth quarter. We’ve been talking a lot about staying connected and together while continuing to defend and rebound when things get tight – and I thought we did just that,” she continued.

“We got contributions from all over – but particularly; Rennia Davis and Lindsey Pulliam – they were huge on the glass and came up big when we needed defensive stops.”

Bogia, who said in forming her team she managed to get to either one practice or game of each Big Five school, except Saint Joseph’s, noted Chloe was very solid for Charlotte.”

UPSHOT Statistically Speaking

After a month, the league’s top player is leading scorer and Philly native Diamond Johnson of the Greensboro Groove, who played at Rutgers, N.C. State and Norfolk State, and is averaging 21.3 points per game while teammate Kamaria McDaniel is close behind at 18.4, and then bunched in are Charlotte’s Kelly (17.3), Jacksonville’s Hearn (17.0) and the Savannah Steel’s Lasha Petree.

Charlotte’s Oniyah leads in rebounds at 9.5, Kelly in assists at 5.2, Petre in blocks at 2.6, and Maria Gakdang in blocks at 1.1.

UPSHOT games air free on the league’s YouTube channel.

The Guru’s WNBA Report: Four Favorites Sweep Night Two of the Commissioner’s Cup - Golden State Shoots Team Record 18 From Deep

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsgurux

While last weekend in the WNBA’s season 30 brought a night of underdog sweeps Tuesday in the second night of the Commissioner’s Cup race belonged to the favorites with all four contests, three at home, decided by wide margins.

In the East, while it was close for a while Atlanta (6-2) pulled away to win 91-75 over visiting Connecticut (2-9) before a crowd of 3,575 at Gateway Center in suburban College Park while Washington (4-4) at home at CareFast Arena before a crowd of 4,200 in the nation’s capitol downed Chicago 90-72 handing the Sky (3-6) their fifth straight loss.

Out West, two-year-old Golden State (6-3) used a franchise record 18 makes from deep before a continued lifetime record home crowd of 18,064 at the Chase Center in San Francisco for a 95-77 victory to put away expansion Portland (6-5) while defending champion Las Vegas (6-3) gained the lone road victory 79-69 at Los Angeles (4-5) before 11,178 at Crypto.com Arena.

Howard and Gray Power Dream Over Sun

Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray sent Atlanta to its fourth straight win in the series scoring 40 of the Dream’s 50 points in the first half – Howard, who had 36 points with eight 3-pointers in the night, going 8-for-14, with five makes from deep, for 22 points, while Gray, who finished with 26, was 5-for-10, including three 3s, scored 18, leaving the rest of the team to go 4-for-8 across the first two quarters.

It was still close, however, through the third quarter when the winners finished on a 7-0 run for a 68-65 lead that built to 10 points when the run continued for seven more to start the fourth.

Angel Reese had another double-double with 12 points and 13 points for the home team, while Jordin Canada had 12 points and 10 assists.

Connecticut’s Aneesah Morrow had 20 points and 13 boards while Saniyah Rivers and French player Leila Lacan, in her second game after finishing overseas, each scored 11, and Olivia Nelson-Ododa collected 10 points.

“Good win, good way to start the Commissioner’s Cup,” said Atlanta coach Karl Smesko, in his second season coming from a long collegiate career at the helm of Florida Gulf Coast.

“Connecticut played great that first half, they were making tough shots, they were kind of getting what they want. They battled to the fourth quarter, I just thought we got some separation – Angel had a big fourth quarter, J.C. had a double double and Rhyne and ‘Lish helped close the thing out for us.”

Iriafen Double-Doubles for Mystics Over Sky

Second-year pro Kiki Iriafen had 15 points and 11 boards for her fourth double-double and 20th in her young career behind Shakira Austin’s 17 points for Washington, while Michaela Onyenwere added 13 points for Washington, and the reserve trio of rookies Lauren Betts and Angela Dugalic off NCAA champion UCLA, and Alicia Florez Getino each scored eight points.

The Mystics won playing for the first time in two seasons without second-year pro Sonia Citron, sidelined with a left foot sprain.

Chicago reserve Sydney Taylor scored 15 points, Skylar Diggins scored 14, while Kamilla Cardoso had 12 points, 13 boards, six blocks and five assists and Elizabeth Williams scored 10 points.

The Mystics were 20-of-32 from the line compared to 16 Sky attempts.

Saint Joseph’s grad Natasha Cloud was scoreless for the visitors, who started the season 3-1 on the road but lost Tennessee standout Rickea Jackson in the win at Minnesota for the season with a knee injury and have not won since her departure.

Cloud, signed as a free agent before the start of the season when not re-signed by New York, said of the defense, “We started (the season) really strong. Obviously, losing some players, not having players, you have to adjust and pivot and find where you’re gonna piece in and plug in.”

Lucy Olsen, the second-year pro out of Villanova and Iowa, played 11 minutes off the bench for Washington, scoring her one attempt from distance with two assists and a rebound.

The Mystics have the youngest roster in the 15-team WNBA

Valkyries Fly Over Fire

Kayla Thornton made five of the Golden State record 18 threes and finished with 19 points and eight boards while reserve Janelle Salaun scored 18 as the home team led big early before dousing a late Portland rally.

Veronica Burton, questionable after suffering a bruised right quadriceps muscle in Sunday’s loss to ‘Vegas, entered the game and scored 10 points with nine assists in 23 minutes.

Portland’s Megan Gustafson, a former Iowa standout, scored 13 with eight boards, the team was 4-1 in recent games before arriving in San Francisco.

Fire guard Carla Leite scored 10 with seven assists playing against her former team.

“I think when our defense creates transition, we can kind of flow into these open threes,” Golden State coach Natalie Nakase said of the record air attack.

“Hard to match up to us when we’re maintaining space. Also, offensive rebounds, also get open threes cause it’s similar to transition.”

Wilson Leads Aces Over Sparks

Reigning and four-time MVP A’ja Wilson out of South Carolina had 25 points with 15 rebounds and five blocks for Las Vegas, which has won three of the last four league titles, including dominating the second half of last season.

She passed former Rutgers star Tammy Sutton-Brown on the WNBA career blocks list to eighth with 555.

Jackie Young added 16 points with nine helpers; Chelsea Gray added 12 points and 11 assists.

Los Angeles’ Rae Burrell had a career-best 22 points while Nneka Ogwumike had 12 points and 12 boards.

The latter passed former Tennessee and retired Indiana standout Tamika Catchings into fifth in the league with 3,315 rebounds.

Kelsey Plum, the leading league scorer, missed her third straight game for the Sparks with an ankle injury.

L.A.’s Dearica Hamby was 0-for-7, her first scoreless field goal game since July 9, 2023.

“A pretty traditional relationship building,” Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon said of her time on NBA San Antonio, which begins the league finals Wednesday night playing New York, working with Gregg Popovich and taking the experience dealing players when she became coach of the Aces. “You talk to him, you care more about what’s going on in your life than just as a basketball player.

“You get to know them. You build trust. You serve them every day. I got into coaching because I want to impact people. The winning is fun, but the women are the funnest, going through the process with them.”

Looking Ahead

On Wednesday on the USA Net twin bill, expansion Toronto visits New York at 7:30 p.m. in the East and Phoenix visits Seattle in the West at 10 p.m.

It’s the first time Toronto coach Sandy Brondello is facing her former team, let go after bounced in the first round of the playoffs by Phoenix last October after winning New York’s first title in 2024 having been one of the original eight WNBA teams in 1997.

Thursday’s twin bill on Amazon Prime has Atlanta at Indiana at 7:30 p.m. and Golden State at Minnesota at 9 p.m.

On Friday, ION and League Pass carry all three games; Connecticut at Chicago at 7:30 p.m., and Dallas at Los Angeles and Phoenix at Portland, both at 10 p.m.

On Saturday, ABC will air two West games in the afternoon: Seattle at Minnesota at 1 p.m. and Golden State at Las Vegas at 3 p.m. while in the East at night League Pass will air Washington at Atlanta at 6 p.m. followed by CBS and Paramount+ carrying Indiana at New York at 8 p.m.

For those new to paying attention to the WNBA, the league standings regarding playoff and seeds are combined without regard to the best teams in the East and West.

The Guru WNBA and NCAAW Report: Minnesota Blasts Phoenix While Dallas Routs Seattle; Philly Summer League Moving Venues

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsgurux

This time a year ago the Minnesota Lynx was off to a long unbeaten start of the WNBA season before Napheesa Collier got injured and then hurt again in the playoffs while the Dallas Wings were struggling even with the addition of overall No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers out of then-NCAA champion UConn.

With each winning Monday night to start the Western Conference side of the annual intra-conference race to the championship Commissioner’s Cup final, a tip-of-the-hat deserves to go out to both for distinct reasons.

Minnesota (7-2) blasted host Phoenix 111-77 before 9,234 at the Mortgage Matchup Center handing the Mercury (2-8) a sixth-straight loss to a team that ruined the Lynx title aspirations in the semifinals.

Dallas (6-3) before a home crowd of 6,251 at College Park Center in suburban Arlington cruised to a 79-56 over the Seattle Storm (3-7).

The Lynx may not be as perfect as they were this time 12 months ago, but few expected them to do as well at this moment with Collier not due back from offseason surgery on both her ankles until sometime this month and needing to replace some key players lost in the expansion drafts of Portland and Toronto as well as free agency.

But they still have longtime coach Cheryl Reeve, the former Philadelphia area player out of South Jersey and in the Big 5 at La Salle with four WNBA titles and several other deep playoffs runs, including the title round in 2024 and last season’s performance marred by the interference of fate.

Reeve, who guided the USA to a record straight eighth gold medal in Paris in 2024, is set to be inducted in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame later this month in Knoxville, Tenn.

In Monday’s triumph veteran Courtney Williams scored 30 points, shooting 13-of-20 from the field.

Then, there’s the addition of Olivia Miles, the overall number two pick out of Central New Jersey in April’s draft and a sterling collegiate career out of Notre Dame and TCU, who off her pro start has signaled the rookie-of-the-year race might be more competitive this summer.

Miles, who has already set some stat records, scored 19 with nine assists in having given Reeve ‘“a true point guard” in this season’s edition of the Lynx.

Unlike some of Phoenix’s recent losses in their dive, this was decided quickly with Minnesota racing to a 35-22 first-quarter lead and continue to grow on a 11-4 run at the outset of the next period and collecting 67 points by the half.

Additionally in the Lynx attack for the night Natasha Howard scored 11 points, and off the bench rookie Antonia Delaere scored 13 points, shooting 3-for-4 from deep in 24 minutes and rookie Anastasiia Olairi Kosu shot 4-for-6 from the field with six boards and 12 points.

Veteran Teaira McCowan, recently acquired for depth, also had six rebounds as did starter Nia Coffey.

For Phoenix former Rutgers star Kahleah Copper out of Philadelphia had 18 points, rookie Noemie Brochant scored 11, rookie Monique Akoa Makani scored 10 with five assists, rookie Jovana Nogic, a late signee out of Providence College scored eight off the bench, starter Natisha Mack grabbed 11 boards but veteran and former Maryland star Alyssa Thomas out of Harrisburg was held to six points, three rebounds and five assists.

To be fair, Phoenix has had to be a work in progress off roster adjustments.

“Our defense was terrific in the way we were supporting one another,” Reeve said. “We know teams are going to try to beat us at what we do, we were active, we got deflections, and we played well in transition.

“That’s one of the things we’re working on, being better off defensive rebounds, in transition off turnovers.”

From the Mercury side, coach Nate Tibbetts said, “There wasn’t a lot working all night. We were a step slow; it was a tough one.”

Wings Fly Over Storm

Part of the additions in the Dallas turnaround was a coaching change after one sesson in bringing longtime South Florida mentor Jose Fernandez and off of a 10-win summer combined with the previous season, winning the overall No. 1 pick in the lottery again and choosing Azzi Fudd, Bueckers’ former Huskies teammate.

But on Monday with some shooting struggles, reserve Aziaha James scored 18 points while Bueckers’ total of 10 points on the night all came in the first half when the Wings took a 36-35 lead at the break. She also had nine boards.

They built on that at the outset of the third with an 8-0 run and the overall attack was balanced with nine points each from starters Fudd, Arike Ogunbowale, Jessica Shepard, who also had eight boards, and Villanova’s all-time scorer Maddy Siegrist, the 2023 overall number three pick, who matched Bueckers on the boards.

Flau’jae Johnson, the overall No. 8 pick out of LSU, had 16 points and 10 boards for Seattle while Natisha Hiedeman had 11 points.

“I thought we kept them in front of us,” Fernandez said of the defense, “and we made them have to take contested shots.

“We had 18 offensive rebounds because when you miss that many shots …”

Clearing the Air in Indy

During Saturday’s blowout loss by Indiana at expansion Portland on national television, it looked like during a timeout that superstar rookie Caitlin Clark, whose had her worst two-game statistical performance on the end of the road trip and coach Stephanie White had strong differences of opinions sparking immediate social media commentary as snything else involving Clark in her three seasons as a pro.

On Monday the two responded during the media availability on an off day back in Indianapolis, the two addressed the react as much ado about nothing, as Shakespeare might pen.

“A lot of those things happen all the time, and I know there’s a camera on me, and that’s how it’s going to be,” Clarke said. “But there’s a lot of people out there in the media or on TV that they think they know a lot of things and they’re just blatantly wrong about a lot of things.

“It’s just another example of what everybody, all of you, want to blow up and make something that is just lost and not in reality,” the former Iowa star continued.

“When I got hurt at the Connecticut game last year, I bawled in Steph’s arms. That’s somebody I will ride for the rest of my life. People just sit on their phones all day, they don’t see those moments.”

White said, “I think what happened in that moment is I was challenging a player. It’s coaching, it’s what it is. And I don’t think it becomes an issue if you’re watching it in men’s sports most of the time.”

“ We’re both competitive, we’re both stubborn. We’re more alike than different and hopefully we continue to bring the best of each other.”

Part of this comes from the microscopic attention to the Fever’s 4-4 start after being considered a title contender with Clark, the 2024 rookie of the year, back from an injury-riddled second season playing just 13 games and last performing in mid-July.

Looking Ahead

On Tuesday, the East side begins Connecticut at Atlanta and Chicago at Washington, both at 7:30 p.m., while at 10 p.m. for both in the West Portland is at Golden State while Los Angeles hosts Las Vegas, with League Pass carrying all the games.

On Wednesday on the USA Net twin bill, Toronto visits New York at 7:30 p.m. in the East and Phoenix visits Seattle in the West at 10 p.m.

The Toronto game marks the first competition Tempo coach Sandy Brondello faces her former Liberty squad. 

Thursday’s twin bill on Amazon Prime has Atlanta at Indiana at 7:30 p.m. and Golden State at Minnesota at 9 p.m.

On Friday, ION and League Pass carry all three games; Connecticut at Chicago at 7:30 p.m., and Dallas at Los Angeles and Phoenix at Portland, both at 10 p.m.

On Saturday, ABC will air two West games in the afternoon: Seattle at Minnesota at 1 p.m. and Golden State at Las Vegas at 3 p.m. while in the East at night League Pass will air Washington at Atlanta at 6 p.m. followed by CBS and Paramount+ carrying Indiana at New York at 8 p.m.

For those new to paying attention to the WNBA, the league standings regarding playoff and seeds are combined without regard to the best teams in the East and West.

UPSHOT Leaders

With the new four-team UPSHOT League off until Wednesday with one game and one more later in the week, here’s a look at standings and schedule ahead.

Standings

Jacksonville 4-2

Greensboro 4-3

Savannah 4-3

Charlotte 1-5

 

Wednesday, 12 p.m. Jacksonville Waves at Charlotte Crown

Saturday, 4 p.m. Savannah Steel at Charlotte

 

Next year Baltimore and Nashville are set to join. The games are free on the league’s YouTube channel.

 

College Front

 

The Philadelphia/Suburban Women’s Summer Basketball League returns later this month with alterations.

 

Game nights will be Tuesday and Wednesday (sted Tue & Thurs) with an increase by one to nine teams and after a long stay games doubleheader games will be played on two courts with one bye at Plymouth Whitemarsh High on Germantown Ave. west of Joshua Road.

 

There will be a snack bar and air conditioning.

 

The draft was held last, and teams are undergoing the annual roster tweaking with further info coming here soon.

 

Good Luck Bernie

 

Monday night at George Washington in the nation’s capital we attended the Atlantic 10 farewell party for Bernadette McGlade, the retiring commissioner the past 18 years, who previously was the women’s basketball exec at the Atlantic Coast Conference and served among other places a two-year term heading the NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee.

 

Dan Lebovitz, a former men’s basketball assistant coach to the late John Cheyney at Temple, who also worked at the executive level at the Big East among other places, is the new commissioner.

 

Coming soon is the retirement of longtime Big East commissioner Val Ackerman, the first president of the WNBA, with a search under way to find her successor.

 

Conference Name Change

On July 1, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (Rider, Fairfield, Quinnipiac…) will rebrand as the Metro Conference.

 

The league also announced a nine-team challenge series early in the season with the men’s and women’s teams of the America East.