Mercury tira Iziane da geladeira
A brasileira Iziane deve enfim estrear na temporada 2003 da WNBA na próxima quinta.
Recuperada de uma lesão no joelho, ela é esperada com a expectativa de poder melhorar a posição do Phoenix nesse ano: o último do oeste, com 6 derrotas e só uma vitória.
Os americanos se apóiam nos números de Iziane na Liga Francesa para esperar isso, conforme mostra a reportagem publicada no site do time. Confira.
Mercury Poised to Activate Castro
Jeff Metcalfe
The Arizona Republic
June 10, 2003
The Mercury will get even younger and faster this week with the expected activation of French League scoring champion Iziane Castro.
Getting bigger any time soon is less certain. Six-foot-4 center Slobodanka Tuvic, the French League rebounding champ, is awaiting results on an X-ray taken Monday of her injured right foot to determine how soon she can play.
Guard Grace Daley was cut to clear room on the 11-player active roster for Castro. The 21-year-old Brazilian is expected to play Thursday when the Mercury (1-6) begins a four-game homestand against Charlotte (4-2).
Castro missed most of training camp and has been out with a sprained right knee suffered April 18 during the French League playoffs. She started practicing here on May 18, four days before the season opener, and has been on the injured list.
"I want to be part of the team on the court," Castro said. "I see a lot so this will be good for me because I saw what happened and I can do better. Coach talked with me. In the fast break, we need to be more quick because we have a short team. In defense, be alert because you need to be perfect on defense because we are short."
Speed in the open court is a strength for the 6-foot Castro, who was a WNBA rookie last year with the Miami Sol. She led the Brazilian League in scoring with 23.3-point average in 2001 and topped the French League by averaging 18.5 points and shooting 36.4 percent from three-point range.
For more Phoenix Mercury coverage, check out www.azcentral.com, Arizona's homepage.
The Mercury is last in the 14-team WNBA in scoring (54.4 ppg), field-goal percentage (35.3) and three-point shooting (25.3). Castro believes she is more ready to contribute than she was in averaging 3.5 points for the Sol.
"I had to learn a lot," she said. "My first year here I was injured, too. I have a great season in France, and all this puts more things in my basketball. I think I'm much better now."
Tuvic, in her third season with the Mercury, has not played since April 5, though the pain in her foot has lessened. Mercury general manager Seth Sulka said the doctor thinks Tuvic's lingering pain could be from muscle atrophy and is hopeful that she can play some before the homestand ends on June 21.
"When I'm going to start to play, I don't have a clue," Tuvic said. "This morning I talked to the doctor. He said I still have a stress fracture. It's getting better, but very slowly. That's why I came here to see, because I trust these people and I just want to stay with the team and find out how is my leg doing, and they're going to decide. I hope for the best.
"I don't even remember the last time when I didn't practice for two months. It's really frustrating watching the girls and I'm sitting here and can't help them."
The Mercury ranks 11th in rebounding. The 25-year-old Tuvic averaged 15.9 points and 9.6 boards in EuroLeague play, and 13.1 points and 8.7 boards in the French League.
Daley, signed as a free agent when Houston did not make her a qualifying offer, played in only three games. She missed the first three due to a quad injury.
A brasileira Iziane deve enfim estrear na temporada 2003 da WNBA na próxima quinta.Recuperada de uma lesão no joelho, ela é esperada com a expectativa de poder melhorar a posição do Phoenix nesse ano: o último do oeste, com 6 derrotas e só uma vitória.
Os americanos se apóiam nos números de Iziane na Liga Francesa para esperar isso, conforme mostra a reportagem publicada no site do time. Confira.
Mercury Poised to Activate Castro
Jeff Metcalfe
The Arizona Republic
June 10, 2003
The Mercury will get even younger and faster this week with the expected activation of French League scoring champion Iziane Castro.
Getting bigger any time soon is less certain. Six-foot-4 center Slobodanka Tuvic, the French League rebounding champ, is awaiting results on an X-ray taken Monday of her injured right foot to determine how soon she can play.
Guard Grace Daley was cut to clear room on the 11-player active roster for Castro. The 21-year-old Brazilian is expected to play Thursday when the Mercury (1-6) begins a four-game homestand against Charlotte (4-2).
Castro missed most of training camp and has been out with a sprained right knee suffered April 18 during the French League playoffs. She started practicing here on May 18, four days before the season opener, and has been on the injured list.
"I want to be part of the team on the court," Castro said. "I see a lot so this will be good for me because I saw what happened and I can do better. Coach talked with me. In the fast break, we need to be more quick because we have a short team. In defense, be alert because you need to be perfect on defense because we are short."
Speed in the open court is a strength for the 6-foot Castro, who was a WNBA rookie last year with the Miami Sol. She led the Brazilian League in scoring with 23.3-point average in 2001 and topped the French League by averaging 18.5 points and shooting 36.4 percent from three-point range.
For more Phoenix Mercury coverage, check out www.azcentral.com, Arizona's homepage.
The Mercury is last in the 14-team WNBA in scoring (54.4 ppg), field-goal percentage (35.3) and three-point shooting (25.3). Castro believes she is more ready to contribute than she was in averaging 3.5 points for the Sol.
"I had to learn a lot," she said. "My first year here I was injured, too. I have a great season in France, and all this puts more things in my basketball. I think I'm much better now."
Tuvic, in her third season with the Mercury, has not played since April 5, though the pain in her foot has lessened. Mercury general manager Seth Sulka said the doctor thinks Tuvic's lingering pain could be from muscle atrophy and is hopeful that she can play some before the homestand ends on June 21.
"When I'm going to start to play, I don't have a clue," Tuvic said. "This morning I talked to the doctor. He said I still have a stress fracture. It's getting better, but very slowly. That's why I came here to see, because I trust these people and I just want to stay with the team and find out how is my leg doing, and they're going to decide. I hope for the best.
"I don't even remember the last time when I didn't practice for two months. It's really frustrating watching the girls and I'm sitting here and can't help them."
The Mercury ranks 11th in rebounding. The 25-year-old Tuvic averaged 15.9 points and 9.6 boards in EuroLeague play, and 13.1 points and 8.7 boards in the French League.
Daley, signed as a free agent when Houston did not make her a qualifying offer, played in only three games. She missed the first three due to a quad injury.
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