| "Turner: New Sixth Man" |
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Mohegan - Asjha Jones used to be Connecticut's sixth man, so she's qualified to evaluate how newbie Barbara Turner has taken to that role. ”She has this down to perfection,” Jones laughed. “For me, I wasn't as excitable as she is. She makes a shot, she's screaming and pumping up the crowd.” Jones, not excitable? Jones, who went 120 mph in her first season with the Sun? ”Yeah, but I wasn't like, 'arghhhhh!,'” Jones exclaimed, imitating Turner. “That wasn't me. Yeah, I was going fast, but out of control. (Turner) knows what she's doing. It works for her.” Turner and her fellow reserves have given Connecticut a deeper and more athletic bench. Although the season is still young, the bench has averaged 28.0 points and 17.2 rebounds per game. The bench played a big role in Saturday's 87-64 win over Sacramento and has helped Connecticut (3-0) to its best start in franchise history. ”This is a first for us - our bench is deep,” Jones said. “Coming from last year, we didn't really have that so much. I was playing (32) minutes. Saturday, I played 28 and we won by 23 points. It's great for me. I love it. ”These guys, they come off the bench and they don't act like they're bench players. They come in the game looking for their shots. They come in and they push the ball on offense, they crash the boards, get rebounds offensive and defense. And I think, most importantly, they come in looking to play defense.” Jamie Carey (point guard), forward Tamika Raymond, rookie guard Jolene Anderson and Turner (forward) have allowed Connecticut to go nine deep. Carey, in her fourth season with the team, is the only holdover from last year's group of reserves. She's one of Connecticut's best 3-pointer shooters and has been more aggressive in taking shots. She's averaged 2.7 assists and is an active defender. Raymond, who the Sun got from Minnesota in return for Kristen Rasmussen, has averaged 5.7 rebounds and transformed the locker room into a comedy club. Anderson has made 6-of-12 3-pointers and averaged 9.0 points and 4.3 rebounds. Turner (10.7 ppg.) was acquired in an offseason trade with Houston for Megan Mahoney. She already has more points (32) than Mahoney did all of last season (31). Turner made back-to-back 3-pointers Saturday to cut a 12-point first-quarter deficit in half and start the rally. She finished with five 3-pointers for a career-high 17 points. She also helped defend Sacramento's dangerous shooting duo of Kara Lawson and Nicole Powell (which shot a combined 6-of-22 for 14 points). ”I like (being the sixth man),” Turner said. “On every good team, you always have to have somebody that's a game-changer. I think that's a good role for me right now. I think it's what Coach T (Mike Thibault) is comfortable with. It's what I'm comfortable with. It's what our team likes, too, because it's a whole different energy. Kerri (Gardin) and Amber (Holt) set the tone and I just try to add to it. I'm loving it.” The Sun have enjoyed this depth despite missing two players. French rookie forward Sandrine Gruda arrived in Connecticut on Saturday. Wing Evina Maltsi is being delayed by red tape in her native Greece. Thibault has said both are among the team's top eight in talent. And still the Sun's bench has produced. ”We're about to get deeper starting (today),” Thibault said, referring to Gruda. He said it while managing not to smile. |
