Springfield Spirit vs. Houston Stealth
Springfield Civic Center, MA - 3/13/03

 

First of all, UConn Lost at the Big East Championship Game to Villanova. Huh? Say it again? Yes, Villanova ended UConn winning streaks! What? That's not possible! Wow, I could not believe it either! I thought I was reading the news incorrectly. Maybe I read the score backwards or something. But hey, it was true. These young players need to learn how to deal with a loss, see it from a positive point of view and bounce right back. They have stayed undefeated through out the regular season, but the best word to describe it are "survive" and "luck". Remember the game against Tennessee? What if Kara Lawson made the last shot? The winning streak could have ended right there and then. But it turned out to be the other way around. They seemed to be on the right track to carry on the torch that was passed on from last year undefeated team.

They have been released from the pressure of being undefeated and now it is time to focus on the ultimate prize: the National Championship Title! It is going to be tough, because all teams will give everything they have to win every single game. Just remember, they are not last year's team with 4 seniors and DT. Lets cheer them on as who they are! Go 2003 UConn Huskies!!!

Now lets talk about former UConn players, shall we?

The good news is the Spirit won! They definitely played a lot better than their previous meeting with Houston. It was a close game, where Cheryl Swoopes left the game towards the end of the second half. She was sick. Even so, she led the team with 27 points. Can you imagine what would be like if she was healthy?

Swin was once again the leading scorer for Springfield Spirit with 31 points. She's so far the most consistent player in the team. Rebecca Lobo had 13 points and 14 rebounds, which was so great since rebounding is one of the keys to win a game. And we should say "Welcome!" to the newest member of the team, Monica Maxwell. She left a great impression on her debut! She's quick, agile, hustle and able to shoot! She's definitely an asset to the team.

I don't know what to say about Sue, since she did not play all that great, but you have to admit that the team can't live without her. Sometimes, her presence on the court is enough to get her team going. She's currently the best point guard out there. She directs traffic nicely and find openings for her teammates. She passes more than trying to score herself. What can you say? That's Sue! And that's what being a point guard is all about. She knows her position and she's doing her job very well.

Cindy Blodgett!!! Her shots were right on the money! She drilled all the outside shots just like a practice routine. "Net Only Please!" Houston players left her wide open most of the times, and she took advantage of every one of them. It was great to watch!

What a great crowd! Even with my sore throat, I managed to scream at times as well. And they were showing a great girls basketball during half time. These girls can play!

Ah! I forgot to mention how hilarious when Sue did the chicken dance. Oh my God, I was dying watching her funny moves. Too bad I didn't take a picture of her then.

Overall, I had a great time. However, I'm not please with the pictures I took. They came out blurry or too dark. The lighting at the Civic Center isn't as great as Mohegan Sun, but I was able to take decent ones at some of the previous games. Well, at times I have the opportunity to take some shots of Sue or other players up close when they are looking directly at me, but I don't feel comfortable snapping away when they are that close. I have done it once or twice, but not every single game. I would rather zoom in. So, if anyone take pictures at the games, let me know! Maybe I can put them up on this site with your name on it. That's if you don't mind sharing with others.

I'm getting ready to leave for Mohegan Sun. Wow, we are just few games away from the playoffs. Hopefully we'll see a good game vs. Tennessee today!