Women's Hoops Blog

Inane commentary on a game that deserves far better


Wednesday, July 14, 2004

Great game, record crowd, Lynx win.

(But I'm never going to Camp Day again. It was loud, and not in a good way. Plus, there were some kids in my section cheering not just for Whalen, but for all things Connecticut. I had to rough them up a little.)

So who was the best rookie on the floor?

Whalen, after a spotty first few minutes, was great. She tore up our weaker, slower, guards. Just like in college, she has an almost uncanny ability to get by her defender, find space in the land, and finish. She led her team with 18 points on 6-for-12, and added 2 rebounds, and 2 assists.

But she was upstaged by Nicole Ohlde. She is already a cornerstone of our offense, and most plays run through her. She is also a solid defender against stronger, more experienced players like McWilliams-Franklin. When she sat down in the second half, the Sun quickly closed the gap. When she came back out, it seemed like the whole Lynx squad stabilized.

She led her team with 21 points on 6-for-9. She also added 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks. A huge performance.