tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67877038838707005272011-12-20T16:21:22.176-08:00The official blog of the Seattle Storm, featuring daily reports from practice, a first look at breaking news and Kevin Pelton's analysis of the Storm and the WNBA as a whole.kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.comBlogger5801100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-81437082884746290282009-06-12T16:11:00.001-07:002009-06-12T16:13:10.988-07:00

Today, we're pleased to unveil a brand new StormTracker blog. We're moving to the WordPress platform, which offers improved functionality, a cleaner look and easier navigation. Please update your bookmarks and links to http://tracker.stormbasketball.com. Thanks for reading!

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-30903451841391648892009-06-08T17:02:00.000-07:002009-06-08T18:11:06.802-07:00

Aaron Last/Storm PhotosAs you may have read in Live From Press Row, before last night's game Seattle City Councilmembers Bruce Harrell and Jan Drago presented Storm CEO Karen Bryant with a proclamation declaring June 7, 2009 Seattle Storm Day in the city of Seattle.The timing was right for the Council to honor the Storm, as yesterday was both Opening Night for the Storm and the 10th anniversary

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-19073847814560988502009-06-06T09:20:00.001-07:002009-06-06T09:49:52.437-07:00

The busy week leading up to Opening Night can make it hard to keep up with everything, so I wanted to highlight some important content here at stormbasketball.com and elsewhere.If anything was vulnerable to getting overshadowed, I think it was Thursday's event where the Storm reopened the First A.M.E. Child and Family Center in Seattle with a Reading and Learning Center renovated thanks to the

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-80109251453608415362009-06-06T08:50:00.000-07:002009-06-06T09:08:56.119-07:00

One of the big developments you'll see this season on stormbasketball.com and sites throughout the WNBA is the ability to watch many webcasts of many games live through LiveAccess. With this feature debuting across the league today, I wanted to explain things a little more clearly. During Storm games, you can go to our LiveAccess page (which will also be linked on the homepage in the top story)

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-65125949462040356312009-06-04T19:57:00.000-07:002009-06-04T20:00:39.735-07:00

With less than 48 hours remaining until the Seattle Storm opens the 2009 season Saturday in Sacramento (1:00 p.m., Alternative Talk 1150 AM), the Storm is beginning to close in on some important decisions. The first of those came after Thursday's practice, when the Storm waived guard A'Quonesia Franklin and wing Aja Parham to get down to its 11-player roster (which will actually be 10 for the

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-37975790743822731492009-06-04T15:41:00.000-07:002009-06-04T15:55:09.788-07:00

Yesterday, WNBA.com released the results of its annual GM Survey. While not every GM apparently takes the voting seriously, based on some of the (ahem) unusual choices, it's still an interesting snapshot of the league as a whole.Noteworthy Storm results:- Lauren Jackson finished second in both most likely to win MVP and player you would pick if you were starting a team (tying there with Tamika

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-21159654146768003972009-06-03T19:03:00.000-07:002009-06-03T19:06:07.226-07:00

Storm center Janell Burse participated in the non-contact portion of practice Wednesday after leaving Tuesday's session early when she experienced a subluxation of her left shoulder. For Burse, the injury was a surprise because it was the first time since May 2007 her shoulder has subluxed, or slipped out of the socket."It was more shocking that it actually happened again," said Burse, "because

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-74628482798674984372009-06-02T00:09:00.000-07:002009-06-02T00:15:06.308-07:00

- While taking Sunday off, the Seattle Storm made the decision to waive training-camp invitees La'Tangela Atkinson and Kasha Terry, bringing the roster to 13 players. 12 are now in camp, with Suzy Batkovic-Brown (spending this week on her honeymoon after her marriage last weekend) the only player remaining overseas. Amongst that group, the Storm has two invitees remaining - guard A'Quonesia

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-56543252685105755682009-06-01T11:10:00.000-07:002009-06-01T11:30:04.518-07:00

Leading up to Opening Night on Sunday against the Sacramento Monarchs (6:00 p.m., TICKETS), the Storm will be involved in a number of community events this week. A rundown:TonightLauren Jackson will throw out the first pitch before the Mariners face the Baltimore Orioles tonight at 7:10 p.m. Visit Mariners.com for tickets.TuesdayThe Storm and Forecasters Pub will present a special Storm Trivia

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-59922294698778977792009-05-30T17:47:00.000-07:002009-05-30T18:04:16.963-07:00

The Sydney Telegraph reports on Storm center Suzy Batkovic's wedding to Matt Brown on Saturday (which is already yesterday in Australia). Check out a photo of Batkovic and her wedding party, all of them Opals players (Lauren Jackson, Penny Taylor and former WNBAer Trish Fallon). The wedding took place in Cronulla, just south of Sydney.Jackson is due back in Seattle tomorrow, while the latest on

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-64668543836626251812009-05-30T00:08:00.000-07:002009-05-30T00:14:23.313-07:00

Aaron Last/Storm PhotosThe Seattle Storm's preseason finale will be Saturday night in Phoenix against the Mercury, and Head Coach Brian Agler has indicated he sees the game as a dress rehearsal of sorts for the start of the regular season just over a week away. After the Storm practiced Friday in the Valley of the Sun, Agler said he'll draw his starting lineup from the group of Sue Bird, Shannon

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-60570482264393064052009-05-29T10:04:00.000-07:002009-05-29T10:15:23.297-07:00

WNBA.com's season preview series checked in with the Storm yesterday. Check it out:With the departures of Griffith and Swoopes, the Storm have two open slots in their starting lineup to fill and a new rotation to get used to with a number of new players on board for 2009. Health will once again be a concern, but if Jackson and Cash can return to their pre-injury form, the Storm will have a

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-53230264991031191902009-05-27T19:34:00.000-07:002009-05-29T14:45:50.683-07:00

Kasha Terry and Janell Burse battle for a rebound in practice. Aaron Last/Storm PhotosAfter spending the first week and a half of training camp in Seattle, the Storm is ready to head out on the road for the first time. The team flew to Las Vegas this afternoon and will join the host Sacramento Monarchs as well as the Phoenix Mercury for a three-team controlled scrimmage tomorrow. Friday, it's on

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-54995606143326341072009-05-27T11:06:00.000-07:002009-05-27T11:16:27.547-07:00

In case you've yet to see it, I wanted to make sure everyone is aware of a resource we're providing on stormbasketball.com - our new "In the News" page, which collects links from local sources and around the country covering your Seattle Storm. It's a great archive for past article as well as a chance to see what's being said each day.While on the subject, I wanted to point you in the direction

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-28165676770207023272009-05-26T16:50:00.000-07:002009-05-26T16:57:13.317-07:00

Courtesy University of California/Mollie McClure PhotoLast week, we began our season-long Where Are They Now? series with former Storm guard Charmin Smith, now an assistant coach at Cal. That gave Smith unique insight into the Storm's first-round pick, Cal forward Ashley Walker, which she shared with the coaching staff before the draft. When I interviewed Smith, I made a point of asking her to

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-43778192424483966292009-05-24T18:50:00.000-07:002009-05-24T18:52:54.662-07:00

Aaron Last/Storm PhotosA week after finishing her season in France, Tanisha Wright joined her Seattle Storm teammates for practice Sunday. In between, Wright went to her hometown of Pittsburgh and her offseason home in Charlotte, where she spent some time wrapping up details on her purchase of a home."It was good, but it was busy," Wright said after practice. "It was a busy couple of days. I went

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-83220063546558973812009-05-23T14:04:00.000-07:002009-05-23T14:08:30.645-07:00

Aaron Last/Storm PhotosSaturday was Swin Cash's first practice with the Seattle Storm since her back surgery, and it went well. Cash, who is still restricted from contact action, went through shooting drills before practice and joined her teammates when they dummied through the offense (going through the motions of plays without any defenders). She also rotated in and out on one defensive drill

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-34926058024133888152009-05-22T18:04:00.000-07:002009-05-22T18:16:15.794-07:00

As promised, the Storm made a couple of roster decisions this morning, waiving guards Kimberly Beck and Mara Freshour. I can't say I was surprised. Beck seemed to have fallen behind A'Quonesia Franklin at point guard, where the Storm had four players and will add Tanisha Wright this weekend. Meanwhile, La'Tangela Atkinson and Aja Parham led Freshour on the wing, another spot that will get more

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-73616124082538351842009-05-21T15:59:00.000-07:002009-05-21T16:27:41.465-07:00

You're getting your first look at voting for the Seattle Storm All-Decade Team today, but this has been in the works for months. As part of the process, all of us in the Storm offices have been putting together our own personal All-Decade teams, and I wanted to share mine today. Since we're asking fans to share why they voted the way they did, it's only fair I do the same.Adia Barnes - There's no

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-39628197908311351222009-05-21T12:07:00.000-07:002009-05-21T12:28:03.641-07:00

Terrence Vaccaro/NBAE/Getty ImagesOne of my favorite Storm events is back this season. Join us for “Stormin’ the Lake” this Saturday from 2–4 p.m. at Green Lake Community Center. Meet the 2009 players and coaches, get your face painted, make locker room signs, learn moves from the Storm Dance Troupe, shoot hoops on the Storm court, plus much more!Because Stormin' the Lake is a little later this

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-74671680338584079402009-05-20T16:53:00.000-07:002009-05-20T17:12:08.314-07:00

Not a lot noteworthy from Wednesday's practice, as most of our attention was focused on today's feature story looking at tomorrow's preseason game and the fight to make the roster. One thing that is notable for not producing notes: The Storm's health, which right now gets a clean bill."So far, so good," said Head Coach Brian Agler. "Knock on wood. We're doing pretty well."- Storm forward Swin

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-47028609152099212982009-05-19T16:25:00.000-07:002009-05-19T18:44:45.703-07:00

The Storm is anticipating the arrival of forward Swin Cash on Wednesday after Cash's 10-week checkup with her doctor went well on Monday. Cash will undergo her physical tomorrow and then could begin working her way back into practice."She had a good report from the doctor and I think we're going to move forward," said Storm Head Coach Brian Agler. "There's no red flags. We anticipate her

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-6836432061135491842009-05-18T09:54:00.000-07:002009-05-18T10:05:08.825-07:00

Guard Tanisha Wright is one of four Storm players who is not here for today's Media Day, as Wright had the longest overseas schedule of any player (period, not just on the Storm). Her Tarbes team, which lost to Bourges last week in the French LFB Championships, got a rematch with the Coupe de France on the line. Alas, Bourges emerged victorious again by a 68-63 final.Wright had a huge effort in

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-28561632839400999102009-05-18T09:14:00.000-07:002009-05-18T09:16:39.223-07:00

The Storm kicked things off with yesterday's practice, but today's Media Day really begins things from our perspective. The Storm will be holding Media Day from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., and stormbasketball.com will (of course) have things covered from all angles. To get live updates during Media Day, your best bet will be to follow the Storm's Twitter feed (@seattlestorm), as I'll be texting from my

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-79716573600245164962009-05-13T16:07:00.000-07:002009-05-13T16:11:01.426-07:00

The WNBA today announced the debut of WNBA LiveAccess for the 2009 season, which will dramatically expand the league’s live webcast offerings. Fans around the world will be able to watch most Storm games live right here at stormbasketball.com using TriCaster technology that will combine the radio broadcast with in-house video feeds. This same technology has previously been used to produce

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-52684302650233974262009-05-13T15:35:00.000-07:002009-05-14T15:32:54.542-07:00

Washington Governor Chris Gregoire signed into law the "Fair Play" bill ((SB 5967) yesterday with Anne Levinson from the Storm's ownership group, Force 10 Hoops, in attendance. The ACLU of Washington and the Women's Sports Foundation supported the bill, which ensures equal treatment for women's sports at the recreational level.Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, who spoke to stormbasketball.com about the

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-32161412962935908972009-05-13T10:56:00.000-07:002009-05-13T11:11:16.132-07:00

Tanisha Wright and Tarbes fell short in their bid to win the French LFB, losing today's deciding Game 3 72-49 at Bourges. As in Game 2, Tarbes fell behind early. It was 18-8 Bourges after one quarter and 43-19 at the half. Tarbes had a tough time generating offense, shooting 36.4 percent from the field. Wright scored 12 points as one of three Tarbes players in double-figures.

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-9009081789210511422009-05-11T14:24:00.000-07:002009-05-11T14:47:32.634-07:00

Last December, we blogged about Breanna Leonard, the eighth-grader from Kent, Wash. who wrote an essay about why Storm CEO Karen Bryant was a role model to her as part of the Macy’s Follow A Leader essay contest. Amongst other prizes, Leonard won the chance to spend a day with Bryant learning more about her job. She was in the Storm offices last month just prior to the WNBA Draft, and wrote

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-75575542556516304352009-05-11T09:35:00.000-07:002009-05-11T10:06:30.066-07:00

Congrats to Suzy Batkovic and her Cras Basket Taranto teammates. With a 56-52 victory yesterday, Taranto defeated Umana Venezia 3-1 in the Italian LegA Basket Femminile finals to win the top Italian league.Taranto win on the road to take the deciding game, outscoring Venezia 28-19 in the second half and holding the hosts to seven points in the final period of another slow-paced, low-scoring

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-79358014354807131072009-05-10T19:30:00.000-07:002009-05-10T19:46:21.711-07:00

Hope all our mothers out there had a good day. The Storm does not have any mothers on the roster this year, but of course every player is a daughter, and Percy Allen of the Seattle Times interviewed Janell Burse's mother Esther on raising Burse. Sue Bird and Swin Cash also spoke about their mothers.SI.com also has a photo gallery featuring players' best Mother's Day gifts that includes several

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-69743655369370665912009-05-08T14:05:00.000-07:002009-05-08T14:17:34.585-07:00

Would you believe that we're nine days away from the Storm and the rest of the WNBA opening training camp? With yesterday's three signings, the Storm is pretty close to set for May 17. There are 17 players on the roster, and while just 15 are allowed in camp, the Storm will have some players in to camp late.- Suzy Batkovic will not be participating as she prepares for her wedding on May 30, as

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-47118263405187020672009-05-07T17:12:00.000-07:002009-05-07T17:32:17.400-07:00

Having returned home for Games 2 and 3, Cras Basket Taranto and Suzy Batkovic have taken a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five series against Umana Venezia.Game 2, played Tuesday, saw Taranto overcome an off night from Batkovic, who spent time in foul trouble and scored but three points on 1-of-6 shooting. She contributed six rebounds, and Taranto emerged victorious by a 56-52 final in a defensive

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-77785935220912829532009-05-04T11:01:00.000-07:002009-05-04T11:03:08.990-07:00

Lauren Jackson's free agency and her decision between staying with the Storm or signing in Phoenix has been emotional for Storm fans, and I'm sure you have strong reactions to today's news that Jackson has re-signed with the Storm. Please share them in this thread.

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-28119914899387571982009-05-02T15:31:00.000-07:002009-05-02T15:59:30.755-07:00

As we head into May and approach WNBA training camps, overseas play is winding down. Just two Storm players are still in action, and both of their teams are currently playing for national league championships in finals series.In the Italian Lega Basket Femminile, Game 1 of the finals was today. Suzy Batkovic's Cras Basket Taranto team went on the road under the 1-2-1-1 format used by the LBF and

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-33672079430730733152009-05-01T17:26:00.000-07:002009-05-01T17:29:21.395-07:00

The Storm announced today the winners of the 2009 Seattle Storm National Girls and Women in Sports Day Essay Contest. Mikayla LaRosa of Marysville was chosen by judges including Assistant Coach Shelley Patterson and co-owner Ginny Gilder as the overall winner, and will be recognized before a Storm game this season while also getting a personalized Storm jersey and a $150 gift card.Check out our

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-91282760993486948252009-04-29T18:07:00.000-07:002009-04-30T14:51:49.002-07:00

In today's Seattle Times Storm beat writer Jayda Evans has a look at the growing popularity of Twitter in the sports world. Evans features Storm forward Swin Cash (@SwinCash), with whom we conducted the league's first "Twitterview" earlier this month. The other Storm player on Twitter is training-camp invitee Kasha Terry (@Nicarra35).Of course, you can follow the Storm's Twitter (@seattlestorm)

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-2020655625159643982009-04-28T10:13:00.000-07:002009-04-28T10:16:46.197-07:00

Former Storm Head Coach Anne Donovan is returning to the WNBA, this time as an assistant coach. The New York Liberty announced this morning that Donovan, who grew up across the river in New Jersey as a fan of the New York Knicks, will join Pat Coyle's coaching staff for the 2009 season."It is very exciting to have the opportunity to return to the east coast and join the Liberty family," Donovan

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-24150338811092292632009-04-28T09:24:00.000-07:002009-04-28T10:06:43.472-07:00

Since signing Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi before the 2006-07 European season (and adding Lauren Jackson in time for the Russian Superleague Playoffs), Spartak Moscow Region had won basically every critical game the franchise played en route to three Euroleague championships and back-to-back Superleague titles. That streak finally came to an end Tuesday, when UMMC Ekaterinburg defeated Spartak 70-

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-43120378893101809522009-04-25T09:57:00.000-07:002009-04-25T10:34:39.558-07:00

The Russian Superleague Finals are headed to a deciding Game 3 after Spartak evened the series at one game apiece with a commanding 86-67 home victory in Saturday's Game 2. Powered by hot shooting, Spartak jumped out to a 26-11 lead after one quarter, had a 21-point advantage at the half and cruised from there.Sue Bird was the ringleader of an offense that saw Spartak knock down 11 three-pointers

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-2437780511683108802009-04-23T17:17:00.000-07:002009-04-23T17:25:42.244-07:00

Aaron Last/Storm PhotosIt's a sad day in the Storm offices, with the news that Kristen O'Neill will not be attending training camp after suffering a knee injury overseas which would prevent her from being 100 percent in camp. If you haven't already, check out my feature where O'Neill explains the reasoning behind her decision, primarily based in giving another player the opportunity she had last

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-38613736981171889212009-04-21T16:59:00.000-07:002009-04-21T17:26:53.920-07:00

A thrilling finish to Game 1 of the Russian Superleague Finals this morning in Ekaterinburg. Down seven going to the fourth after Spartak won the third period 24-8, the hosts rallied to take the lead on an Asjha Jones score with 1:43 to play. Sylvia Fowles tied it with 13 seconds left, setting up Cappie Pondexter's heroics. The UMMC Ekaterinburg guard knocked down the go-ahead jumper with four

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-82696347732316665512009-04-20T11:06:00.000-07:002009-04-20T12:10:45.649-07:00

Saturday's deciding Game 3 of the Russian Superleague Semifinal series between Spartak and CSKA Moscow proved anticlimactic. Spartak finished the first half on a 16-3 run to take a 13-point advantage to the break and was never threatened thereafter in a comfortable 74-58 victory.Spartak shined at the defensive end, holding CSKA to 36.1 percent shooting. Becky Hammon was held to five points on 2-

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-54475333442250154312009-04-17T15:34:00.000-07:002009-04-17T16:02:18.795-07:00

Suzy Batkovic's Cras Basket Taranto squad completed a two-game sweep of its LegA Femminile quarterfinal series with Thursday's 68-57 win over Pool Comense. Foul trouble limited Batkovic to 20 minutes, though she still packed 11 points and seven boards into that span. Megan Mahoney added 14 as a balanced Taranto scoring attack overcame 17 points from Comense's Brooke Smith.Meanwhile, they're just

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-26492193024383820342009-04-17T15:09:00.001-07:002009-04-17T15:13:41.045-07:00

During Tuesday's Twitterview, Storm forward Swin Cash described her experience at the White House for Monday's annual Easter Egg Roll. "I also had a wonderful time reading a story to the kids," Cash wrote. Now that video is online thanks to the WhiteHouse.gov YouTube channel:(HT: WNBA Twitter feed)

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-6222363169603429252009-04-16T16:52:00.000-07:002009-04-17T10:29:42.550-07:00

Storm Director of Communications and Community Relations Teresa Wippel explains how the Storm connected with the Peace Corps to help out a budding group of female basketball players in the country of Niger.The letter came to Storm headquarters from Peace Corps volunteer and Oregon native Mariah Cosand: Would the Storm be willing to donate basketballs and practice uniforms or T-shirts to two dozen

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-41317732887179036142009-04-15T16:44:00.000-07:002009-04-15T17:18:47.418-07:00

Staring down potential early elimination from the Russian Superleague Playoffs, Spartak came through with a sizzling offensive performance Wednesday to force a deciding Game 3 on Saturday. Spartak shot 57.4 percent from the field in a 101-80 road win over CSKA Moscow. The game was tight at halftime, with Spartak leading by one point, but they owned the second half 55-35.Diana Taurasi powered the

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-25345460727652379562009-04-15T12:00:00.000-07:002009-04-15T12:08:52.745-07:00

On Tuesday evening, 65 young dancers gathered at the Furtado Center, the Storm’s official practice facility, to try out for the 2009 Storm Dance Troupe. Over the course of the three-hour session, the kids - ages 5-15 - learned a short routine to Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” and then performed for the panel of judges consisting of Dance Troupe Manager Sheena Shive, members of the Storm front office,

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-31416808256750921542009-04-13T11:37:00.000-07:002009-04-13T12:10:34.347-07:00

Congrats to Katie Gearlds. The Storm forward and her Athinaikos teammates completed a perfect 26-0 season in Greek A1 League play by beating Panathinaikos 78-68 over the weekend. Gearlds went out in style, scoring a game-high 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting. She added six rebounds and five assists as well.Athinaikos had previously secured the Greek title, holding a two-game lead on second-place

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-25815580720656838612009-04-10T11:37:00.000-07:002009-04-10T11:57:36.438-07:00

Lost in the excitement of yesterday's WNBA Draft was a wild finish to the EuroCup. Cras Basket Taranto traveled to Turkey with a 12-point aggregate leading entering yesterday's second leg at Galatasaray. The home team controlled the game much of the way, with the result being that while the scoreboard showed a comfortable Galatasaray lead, in reality the series was tight.Two free throws by

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-18117506938838362452009-04-07T10:20:00.000-07:002009-04-07T10:33:22.241-07:00

As the Connecticut Huskies look to complete a perfect 39-0 season by beating Louisville in tonight's NCAA title game, few people have a better idea of what they are facing than Storm forward Swin Cash. In 2001-02, Cash and Storm point guard Sue Bird were two of the four amazing seniors on the UConn team that went 39-0 before producing four of the first six picks in that year's WNBA Draft,

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-47238044056429574982009-04-06T14:14:00.000-07:002009-04-06T14:56:31.333-07:00

We're now less than 72 hours away from the 2009 WNBA Draft. Anticipation seems to build a little slower than with the NBA equivalent because attention is still focused on the Final Four. Last night's action delivered one classic semifinal and one that was, um, not classic. UConn looks unstoppable en route to a perfect season that has yet to see the Huskies even be challenged. The last obstacle in

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-34687843313811948562009-04-05T10:27:00.000-07:002009-04-05T10:40:15.720-07:00

The remarkable Euroleague run of Spartak Moscow Region continues. With an 85-70 triumph Sunday over host Halcon Avenida in the title game of the Euroleague Final Four, Spartak earned its third consecutive Euroleague Championship.Playing against a raucous home crowd that helped Avenida defeat MKB Euroleasing Sopron in Friday's semifinals, Spartak quieted the fans by taking control of the game in

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-34359844392649056052009-04-03T10:38:00.000-07:002009-04-03T12:11:56.123-07:00

Spartak Moscow Region will play for its third straight Euroleague Championship on Sunday after defeating Russian rival UMMC Ekaterinburg in this morning's semifinal matchup, 83-74. Diana Taurasi scored a game-high 33 points, but Spartak would not have won without timely scoring from Sue Bird. The Storm's point guard finished with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, handing out four assists.Spartak led

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-82276197936012968902009-03-30T14:10:00.000-07:002009-03-30T14:34:56.731-07:00

ColemanMcCoughtryIf you're interested in watching the likely top picks in the 2009 WNBA Draft as they complete their college careers, tonight offers a terrific matchup. Louisville and Maryland will square off at 4 p.m. Pacific on ESPN with a spot in the Final Four on the line. That means a matchup between Louisville's Angel McCoughtry and Maryland's Marissa Coleman, the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-31736339579253209842009-03-30T11:44:00.000-07:002009-03-30T12:35:44.926-07:00

In the weekend's biggest game, Janell Burse and Dynamo Moscow defeated Nadezhda 66-61 in Sunday's Game 3 of their quarterfinal series. It turned out to be home-court disadvantage for Nadezhda, as the road team won all three games. Burse had six points and six boards and Dynamo got a 22-point effort from new San Antonio Silver Star Belinda Snell. Having built a 14-point lead, Dynamo was able to

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-88414641876260123902009-03-28T10:11:00.000-07:002009-03-28T10:39:56.241-07:00

Thursday saw the Russian Superleague Playoffs continue, with Spartak advancing to the semifinals by sweeping overmatched Kursk Dynamo with an 80-52 road win. The hosts actually were within one at halftime, but Spartak turned up the heat in the second half, outscoring Kursk 21-8 in the third quarter and 20-6 in the fourth. Lauren Jackson paced Spartak with 16 points and nine rebounds, Diana

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-35832817098448657212009-03-24T11:28:00.000-07:002009-03-24T12:54:10.628-07:00

The Russian Superleague Playoffs kicked off today and yesterday, and the Storm players involved got off to winning starts. Spartak is a heavy favorite against Kursk Dynamo and played like that in today's Game 1, cruising to an 86-57 victory. Lauren Jackson (19 points, eight boards) and Sue Bird (17, six assists) were the leading scorers for Spartak before calling it a night early. Even with

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-15112695609120192492009-03-24T10:43:00.000-07:002009-03-24T11:25:57.992-07:00

If you weren't at Bank of America Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion last night, you missed out on some terrific basketball. Gonzaga and Pittsburgh went back and forth all night long before the Panthers overcame a pro-Zags crowd and made just enough plays down the stretch to steal the win.It looked like Gonzaga might pull the upset when Pitt turned the ball over while leading by one with just under

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-69855717486199842102009-03-23T11:19:00.000-07:002009-03-23T11:44:55.379-07:00

Mel Thomas is not your average training camp invitee. Thomas' scrappy style of play made her a fan favorite during her four years at the University of Connecticut, where women's basketball is a way of life. As a result, Thomas signing on with the Storm to attend camp drew attention from the media that covers the East Coast Huskies, better known as "The Horde."Joe Perez of the Norwich Bulletin

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-3921231393399200262009-03-21T22:32:00.001-07:002009-03-21T23:05:49.618-07:00

How's your bracket looking midway through the first round of the tournament? I went 13 for 16 on the first day. One of those three misses came in the game I attended at Bank of America Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion - 12 seed Gonzaga taking down fifth-seeded Xavier in front of a partisan crowd. In hindsight, I underestimated the energy the underdog Zags would draw from their fans.As expected, 6-

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-57675249220629579202009-03-20T17:46:00.000-07:002009-03-20T18:02:52.652-07:00

Jim writes to ask:With so much angst surrounding Lauren Jackson's decision, many people including myself, search the web every day for positive signs. However the reality is that Lauren most likely won't say anything until after her stint in Russia has concluded. Therefore, do you know when that will be? Is it soon or are there several weeks left in the postseason?As I wrote earlier this

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-17133829234290177722009-03-19T13:46:00.000-07:002009-03-19T14:08:55.112-07:00

With the Men's NCAA Tournament tipping off today, I've got brackets on the brain, and I'm sure I'm not alone. I set up a Women's Tournament pool on ESPN.com so you can compete against fellow Storm fans and even some employees. I hope you'll join us before the tournament begins Saturday morning.

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-26377897955950637802009-03-19T10:53:00.000-07:002009-03-19T11:13:02.782-07:00

It was all Cras Basket Taranto this morning in the highly-anticipated return leg of the EuroCup semifinal matchup between Taranto and Dynamo Moscow. Dynamo returned home hoping to make up a six-point deficit from last week's matchup in Italy, and led by three after one quarter. From there, the visitors took control by outscoring Dynamo 23-12 in the second quarter. Taranto cruised to an 85-75

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-42333186847411624812009-03-18T14:32:00.000-07:002009-03-24T17:26:16.466-07:00

This morning, for the first time, there is no printed edition of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The P-I ran its last edition yesterday, ending a run that dated back to 1863 and moving to a new role online-only at seattlepi.com. In a 10th Anniversary season where the Storm's history is a focal point, it seemed appropriate to look back at some highlights of the P-I's coverage. Here are a handful

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-62733464281586367752009-03-17T11:32:00.000-07:002009-03-17T12:02:00.582-07:00

The University of Washington and Bank of America Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion will be playing host to one of 16 subregionals during the first weekend of the NCAA Women's Tournament. The four teams coming to Seattle, as revealed during yesterday's selection show, are:No. 4 seed PittsburghNo. 5 seed XavierNo. 12 seed GonzagaNo. 13 seed MontanaPitt takes on Montana in the early matchup at 5:00

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-50096584195711694442009-03-16T14:15:00.000-07:002009-03-16T15:06:42.680-07:00

The last week concluded regular-season play in the Russian Superleague, and Spartak played a pair of crucial games to wrap things up. On Thursday, Spartak played host to red-hot UMMC Ekaterinburg. Sue Bird's three-pointer tied the game with 1:45 left to play, but Spartak would not score again, committing two key turnovers as Ekaterinburg pulled out the 76-70 win. Lauren Jackson led Spartak with

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-65420951620887711522009-03-14T08:25:00.000-07:002009-03-14T08:30:02.260-07:00

Storm forward Swin Cash, who underwent back surgery on Monday, discussed the procedure and her rehabilitation schedule yesterday with WNBA.com's Brian Martin. Before you go read the whole thing, here's an excerpt:WNBA.com: You mentioned on your site that this has “been a long time coming.” How much of a relief is it to finally have this done?Cash: It’s the biggest relief. You can’t even really

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-72892888242580085152009-03-13T09:44:00.000-07:002009-03-13T10:11:38.542-07:00

Bragging rights and much more are on the line as Storm centers Suzy Batkovic and Janell Burse square off with their respective teams in the EuroCup semifinals. In Thursday's first game, Batkovic's host Taranto squad emerged with a 76-71 victory. Because of the aggregate scoring format, the outcome itself was not necessarily as critical as the differential, with teams playing through to the end of

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-88305766804015261122009-03-11T17:22:00.000-07:002009-03-11T17:47:42.015-07:00

Add a new name to the ranks of Storm players overseas. Center Ashley Robinson, having completed her internship for the Dallas Mavericks and her time working with a prep team in the Dallas area, is now playing for Pankup TED Kayseri Koleji in Turkey. If that club sounds familiar, it's because Camille Little played for Kayseri before deciding to return to the U.S. Robinson has in effect taken

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-81717827255236025192009-03-11T12:20:00.000-07:002009-03-11T15:17:03.555-07:00

Hey y'all! Man, I can't believe it's March already - time is really flying by.A lot has happened since my last blog both back home and in Greece. Back home, we've had a few signings that I am sure have everyone giddy with anticipation to get the season started. But of course the whole world of women's basketball is waiting on just the one person, right? I am sure you all have your opinions just

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-78735948025425103092009-03-09T17:58:00.000-07:002009-03-09T18:58:32.788-07:00

Sue Bird's prognostication proved accurate. Last week, Bird told storm.wnba.com she wasn't upset to miss the Euroleague All-Star Game because of a rule limiting each club to two representatives, but that fans were missing out on the chance to see Sylvia Fowles dunk.Lo and behold, Fowles ended up playing in the game in place of Spartak's scheduled players (Lauren Jackson and Diana Taurasi) and

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-31482409154078032232009-03-02T16:20:00.000-08:002009-03-02T16:57:55.421-08:00

A great finish in Spain saw Ibiza-PDV hang on for an 88-87 overtime win over Lega Feminina power Perfumerias Avenida on Saturday. In something of a Comets reunion, Ibiza's Shannon Johnson and Sancho Lyttle defeated Avenida's Michelle Snow. All three players put up big numbers. Johnson had 21 points and five assists, shooting 9-for-17 from the field. Lyttle was monstrous in the middle, posting 28

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-1227642403201480662009-02-26T14:59:00.000-08:002009-02-26T16:49:46.973-08:00

A day after the Euroleague Final Four was completed, the EuroCup set its semifinals Thursday, with two-game aggregate scoring quarterfinal series moving to the return leg.Dynamo Moscow and Storm center Janell Burse returned home Thursday with a very comfortable 27-point advantage over ZKK Hemofarm Vrsac and put it on cruise control, winning 73-65. Despite the safe margin, Dynamo's top players got

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-85370112637697671452009-02-25T15:36:00.000-08:002009-02-25T16:04:43.784-08:00

Spartak Moscow Region will look to win its third consecutive Euroleague championship in the Euroleague Final Four after defeating Ros Casares Valencia 79-70 in Wednesday's deciding Game 3. Ros Casares tested Spartak severely, forcing the series to the distance and trailing by just four with 1:42 to play. Spartak was able to make its free throws down the stretch and hold on for the win in a game

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-72045870450555957382009-02-23T18:37:00.000-08:002009-02-23T19:17:45.051-08:00

We ring in the new week by taking a look at the exploits of the two newest members of the Storm, Suzy Batkovic and Shannon Johnson. Batkovic has actually been mentioned recently in our overseas updates, as her Cras Basket Taranto team knocked off Tanisha Wright's Tarbes squad in the EuroCup eighth-finals. Batkovic is a teammate of former Storm guard Michelle Greco in Italy, and Taranto crushed CB

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-36339372841988559262009-02-23T12:01:00.000-08:002009-02-23T15:38:36.387-08:00

With this morning's announcement that the Storm has signed veteran guard Shannon Johnson, Head Coach and Director of Player Personnel Brian Agler has moved another step closer to the team's 2009 roster. Johnson gives the Storm nine players under contract, with three more (Kimberly Beck, Kristen O'Neill and Kelly Santos) invited to training camp.Of course, there's one big free agent still out

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-50564997222434988712009-02-20T17:03:00.000-08:002009-02-20T17:18:53.036-08:00

Spartak Moscow Region and Ciudad Ros Casares Valencia are headed to a winner-take-all Game 3 next Wednesday in Russia after Ros Casares held on for a thrilling 73-71 victory Friday night in Spain. Trailing by 15 entering the final quarter, Spartak answered with an 11-0 game and would ultimately tie the game. But four unanswered points by Amaya Valdemoro gave the hosts back the lead. Trailing by

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-49658321609913647232009-02-20T10:30:00.000-08:002009-02-20T10:38:07.645-08:00

The Indiana Fever announced Friday morning the signing of former Storm center Yolanda Griffith. An unrestricted free agent, Griffith negotiated with the Storm about a possible return before ultimately deciding the Indiana Fever was a better fit at this stage of her career."We are disappointed that Yolanda will not be returning to the Storm for a second season, but we respect her decision to join

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-26269437464896877802009-02-19T11:49:00.000-08:002009-02-19T12:06:30.741-08:00

The first leg of the two-game aggregate score EuroCup quarterfinals was played Thursday, and the two Storm players whose teams are still alive saw opposite results.Dynamo Moscow went on the road to face ZKK Hemofarm Vrsac and proved a most unwelcome guess, crushing the Serbian side 90-63. The game was so lopsided that Dynamo was able to rest its foreign stars. Storm center Janell Burse played

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-855454528343817622009-02-17T17:41:00.000-08:002009-02-17T17:54:42.566-08:00

The best-of-three Euroleague Quarterfinal series tipped off today, and Spartak got a stiff test in hosting Ros Casares Valencia for Game 1. Ros Casares got within two points at 59-57 inside the final two minutes, but Sylvia Fowles' three-point play gave Spartak some breathing room and Lauren Jackson's late three-pointer provided the final 65-57 margin as Spartak moved within a game of the

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-50841399149588627012009-02-17T15:18:00.000-08:002009-02-17T17:40:43.554-08:00

Spartak was in action Friday, traveling to Vologda-Chevakata for an 81-69 victory. With Spartak's Russian players having an off night, the win was all about the quartet of Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson, Diana Taurasi and Sylvia Fowles. Those four stars combined for 72 of Spartak's 81 points, led by Taurasi's 28. Jackson battled foul trouble, scoring 11 points in less than 10 minutes of action on 4-of-

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-11413836235259217582009-02-13T17:16:00.001-08:002009-02-13T18:06:32.045-08:00

After a six-week winter break, the French LFB returned to action last week. Tanisha Wright's Tarbes team picked up where it left off before the break, beating Basket Landes 70-57 (.pdf) behind 13 points from Wright. On Wednesday, Tarbes improved to 16-1 with a 73-48 romp over Calais (pdf). Wright served as playmaker, handing out six assists to go with eight points.In Russia, Spartak got a bit of

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-45131049841324599672009-02-09T14:22:00.000-08:002009-02-09T14:25:38.430-08:00

Voting for the Euroleague All-Star Team has concluded, and lineups for the March 8 All-Star Game (to be played in Paris) were announced by FIBA Europe today. If you think the voting results are sometimes a little funny here stateside, they're especially strange this time around in Euroleague. The Storm's Sue Bird and Chicago's Sylvia Fowles were both amongst the top five vote-getters for the "

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-57208721032717224432009-02-05T15:11:00.000-08:002009-02-05T16:11:13.968-08:00

Wednesday and Thursday were the return leg of the EuroCup's eighth-final matchups, those series decided by aggregate.We start in Tel Aviv, where Katie Gearlds and Athinaikos was the lone team with Storm ties heading out on the road. Athinaikos carried a 15-point advantage from the first game of the series and only extended it in a 91-72 demolition of Elitzur Ramla. Gearlds led the way in the rout

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-3852666125735525082009-02-05T14:16:00.000-08:002009-02-05T14:42:55.505-08:00

In case you haven't been visiting WNBA.com (and, praytell, why not?), a quick roundup of several announcements around the league this week.- The 2009 WNBA Draft will be held on Thursday, April 9. After a couple of years at the location of the Final Four (and the day after the NCAA Championship game), the draft is moving back to Secaucus, N.J. and there will be one day in between the game and the

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-92167947409675670712009-02-04T17:59:00.001-08:002009-02-04T18:06:31.167-08:00

The Storm will have center Kelly Santos on the roster for training camp after the restricted free agent agreed to a training-camp contract with the team.Santos played in 22 games for the Storm last season, averaging 2.1 points and 1.3 rebounds. A three-year WNBA veteran, Santos also represented Brazil in Beijing, her third career appearance in the Olympics.Here's our 2008 Santos Season in Review,

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-22994067025964133112009-02-04T11:01:00.001-08:002009-02-04T11:16:42.598-08:00

Happy National Girls and Women in Sports Day! This is the 23rd annual NGWSD since the initiative was first chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1986. It honors female athletic achievement and recognizes the positive influence of sports participation for girls and women.Here at storm.wnba.com, we've recognized the day in a couple of ways. After Saturday's Winter Warm-Up event, I was fortunate to have

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-57900586174997075122009-02-03T13:46:00.000-08:002009-02-03T16:15:05.675-08:00

Tia Jackson addresses the crowd. /Storm PhotosA record crowd of more than 350 Storm Season Ticket Holders filled the East Gym of Hec Edmundson Pavilion Saturday for the Storm's annual Winter Warm-Up Event bringing together the Storm and UW Women's Basketball. They heard from a variety of guest speakers, including UW Head Coach Tia Jackson; Lisa Brummel, Ginny Gilder and Anne Levinson from the

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-5353916266325257272009-02-02T16:02:00.000-08:002009-02-03T18:01:33.367-08:00

Again, a light weekend of Storm action with the major teams busy with the Euroleague postseason, so just three games involving Storm players.Another day, another Greek A1 League win for Athinaikos. This weekend, Athinaikos improved to 17-0 by blowing by Panionios 89-63. Katie Gearlds paced Athinaikos with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting and seven rebounds in 30 minutes of work before calling it a

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-91220508316887327452009-01-31T22:18:00.000-08:002009-01-31T22:21:34.251-08:00

The Storm's decision Saturday to waive guard Sheryl Swoopes came down to maintaining flexibility. Swoopes' contract called for her 2009 salary to become guaranteed if she was on the roster on Feb. 1, forcing the Storm to make a decision on her future in the midst of putting together a complicated free-agent puzzle with multiple moving pieces.With Swoopes' salary on the cap, the Storm would have

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-58859450672877672242009-01-30T17:49:00.000-08:002009-01-30T18:06:12.537-08:00

Playing on the road, Spartak Moscow Region crushed ZVVZ USK Praha's hope of forcing a decisive Game 3 in their Euroleague eighth-final matchup by taking a commanding early lead and cruising to a 92-78 win in Prague. Spartak scored 58 points by halftime to take an 18-point advantage to the break of Game 2.Diana Taurasi led the offensive onslaught, scoring a game-high 26 points on 7-of-13 shooting.

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-58128427443203035652009-01-29T15:18:00.000-08:002009-01-29T15:55:40.074-08:00

More than a month after the EuroCup 16th-finals, postseason action picked back up today with the start of home-and-home aggregate series in the eighth-finals. To recap, three Storm players are scattered amongst the 16 teams still in action - Janell Burse with top-seeded Dynamo Moscow, Tanisha Wright on Tarbes Bigorre Elite and Katie Gearlds for Athinaikos.Dynamo played the day's tightest game,

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-46851207229103895862009-01-27T10:51:00.000-08:002009-01-27T11:05:41.389-08:00

The Euroleague playoffs kicked off today with all Storm eyes on the matchup between Spartak Moscow Region and ZVVZ USK Praha, featuring Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson squaring off with teammate Swin Cash.Spartak, the two-time defending Euroleague champs, is heavily favored but USK Praha was able to keep things close on the road in Game 1. The margin was nine at halftime and eight late in the third

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-42304798643866130102009-01-26T14:08:00.000-08:002009-01-26T14:32:40.619-08:00

I hope this finds everyone starting their New Year off exactly as they envisioned. My time at home for Christmas was very short. I think I had four or five days there, but at least I was able to make it home. I would have had more time, but I was stuck in Rome's airport for almost 28 hours. I flew from Athens to Rome on Alitalia Airlines at six in the morning with no problems, but when I got to

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-60971917974842750712009-01-26T10:44:00.000-08:002009-01-26T16:46:32.787-08:00

A light weekend for games involving Storm teams, with two games on the schedule. The biggest came in Greece, where Athinaikos got another test against Paleo Faliro, a middle-tier team in the Greek A1 league. Athinaikos trailed by nine after one quarter and five at the half before holding on for a 59-58 win. Athinaikos would have been doomed without a strong effort from Katie Gearlds, who scored

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-79601144227661089242009-01-24T09:21:00.000-08:002009-01-25T13:12:40.043-08:00

Ned Dishman/NBAE/Getty ImagesSad news from the world of college hoops this morning, as legendary North Carolina State Head Coach Kay Yow lost her lengthy and inspirational battle with breast cancer, passing away peacefully early Saturday. Her absence will be felt throughout the women's basketball community.From N.C. State's press release:She entered her 34th season as head mentor of the Wolfpack

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-21572087404927823932009-01-23T17:58:00.000-08:002009-01-23T18:06:56.831-08:00

Katie Gearlds and her Athinaikos squad passed one of their biggest tests in Greek A1 league play Wednesday, defeating second-place Esperides Ravenna 74-63 in Athens. The win is the second for Athinaikos head-to-head between the two teams, who have not lost to any other Greek team. As a result, 15-0 Athinaikos holds a two-game lead in the standings over Esperides Ravenna with the season series

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-27548088935245354532009-01-23T16:30:00.000-08:002009-01-23T16:51:19.187-08:00

The most common question I get these days is for an update on the Storm and free agency. Honestly, I'm not quite sure what to say. As a team site, we're not in the rumor game (that need being filled in the W by the RebKell boards), and the coaching staff's perspective hasn't really changed since we last talked with Brian Agler a week and a half ago.Besides last year, which seemed to bring the

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-12753853349648534212009-01-22T15:15:00.000-08:002009-01-22T15:31:54.229-08:00

Good news from Russia, where the injury that ended Sue Bird's day late in Spartak's loss Sunday to CSKA proved to be minor. Bird was not only back on the court for Wednesday's Superleague matchup with Dynamo Moscow, she played 30 minutes, second on the team to Diana Taurasi.With Bird at the point, Spartak got back to winning ways, defeating Dynamo 94-78. Spartak built a 14-point halftime lead

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6787703883870700527.post-76570013870712713952009-01-21T17:16:00.000-08:002009-01-23T12:47:25.809-08:00

Ginny Gilder, one of the four women who make up the Storm's ownership group (Force 10 Hoops L.L.C.), will be a guest tomorrow on the Chat With Women radio show on KKNW 1150 AM. Tune in (or listen live online) to hear Ginny talk about the Storm and more at 8:45 a.m.UPDATE: Here's the podcast of Thursday's show.

kphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14687582294229324412noreply@blogger.com1