Gameday: Mystics-Storm, Kenlaw's First Game as Head Coach
While the past two days have been dominated by the coaching change, the Mystics' fundamental problems have remained the same. (More on what this past day has been like for Jessie Kenlaw further down in this post.)
The Mystics are 2-5 over their past seven games and only have four, including this afternoon's against Seattle, before the Olympic break. Washington is trying to stave off a third straight loss, but even if they show the emotion that was sorely lacking against New York and Detroit, the Mystics are up against a Seattle team that's won its past seven games - including their last one without reigning league MVP Lauren Jackson, who left the Storm to train with the Australian national team for the Beijing Olympics.
Granted if there's an opponent Kenlaw's familiar with it's the Storm. She spent four years as an assistant coach in Seattle prior to joining the Mystics, but Kenlaw told a few media types before the game how much the team's question on if she would fill in as head coach caught her off guard.
"I was very surprised. I was very shocked. It was totally unexpected," Kenlaw said. "This happened yesterday morning and when they asked me to fill in, when they asked me to do it, I almost said no. You just don't expect it and there's so much to do moving from this seat to the head seat. There's a lot that goes on that I didn't even know about (like meeting with media). It's a huge adjustment."
Kenlaw has spent eight years as a WNBA assistant coach and brushed off questions that she might be auditioning for a permanent position. "I was asked to fill in and coming in I'm just trying to change the mindset of the team."
Here's some more from Kenlaw:
On the immediate changes: "We're going to try to look at the substitution pattern a little bit differently. We're going to try to run a little bit more, be more up tempo. Just minor things like that."
On how the team's reacting to her: "I'm always in the background and that's my role but there's another side of me. I'm very demanding when it comes to certain things on the court and us trying to establish a discipline. So I think you'll see that side of me in trying to enforce things that we need to do a little bit differently."
Starting Lineups:
Washington--the usual:
F-Monique Currie
F-Taj-McWilliams Franklin
C-Nakia Sanford
G-Alana Beard
PG-Nikki Blue
Seattle:
F-Swin Cash
F-Camille Little
C-Yolanda Griffith
G-Sheryl Swoops
PG- Sue Bird
By
Katie Carrera
|
July 20, 2008; 3:47 PM ET
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Posted by: Jeremy Bauserman | July 20, 2008 5:21 PM
Washington 89
Seattle 57 FINAL
I like the up tempo style. The half court sets were mostly not working so I am glad Jessie changed something that had not worked during many games this year.
Posted by: Jeremy Bauserman | July 20, 2008 6:12 PM
Not to be a killjoy, but I'm still seeing us give up too many offensive rebounds and not protecting the ball enough. Otherwise, it was nice to see some energy from this team for once! Keep it going!
Posted by: Mystix4evr | July 20, 2008 10:34 PM
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48-25 Mystics at the half. I am liking the coaching move thus far.