SPARKS, CHARLOTTE ON DIFFERENT PATHS.Byline: Pamela Lewis Staff Writer The Sparks and the Charlotte Sting The Charlotte Sting was once a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007. might be polar opposites in more ways than just geographically, but they will be on the same level when they meet in the WNBA Finals The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), held in early September and played under a best-of-five playoff format. The team winning the Eastern Conference Finals earns one of the two seeds in the championship round, with the , which begin with Game 1 tonight in Charlotte, N.C. The Sparks, who had the best record in the league last year, almost were expected to reach the Finals this season. The Sting, which struggled with the second-worst mark, was not. The Sparks seemingly made themselves stronger when they acquired starting-center-turned-reserve Rhonda Mapp from Charlotte for reserve Allison Feaster Allison Sharlene Feaster, now Allison Feaster-Strong, (born February 11, 1976, in Chester, South Carolina) is a professional basketball player. She was on the roster of the Charlotte Sting in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) when the team folded in January and center Clarisse Machanguana Clarisse Machanguana (born 4 October 1976) is a professional women's basketball player from Mozambique. She has played internationally in both the United States (WNBA from 1999-2002) and in Spain (FC Barcelona since 2003). , who in turn have lifted the Sting's stature within the league. The Sparks definitely made themselves better when they acquired veteran Latasha Byears Latasha Nashay Byears (born August 12, 1973 in Memphis, Tennessee) is a professional women's basketball player who plays for the Houston Comets in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). from Sacramento for LaKeshia Frett. With the second overall pick, the Sting drafted Georgia guard Kelly Miller Kelly Miller may be:
The Sparks opened the 2001 season with a league-best 9-0 start. Charlotte had the league's worst mark at 1-10. And that's where the differences begin to fade away. Both teams had the same goal of winning the fifth WNBA WNBA Women's National Basketball Association WNBA World Ninepin Bowling Association WNBA Wannabe Nasty Boys Association WNBA Women's National Book Association, Inc. WNBA Warszawski Nurt Basketu Amatorskiego title. They just took different routes to get there. After starting the season with nine victories, including two against Charlotte, the Sparks hit a bump and lost three in row before rebounding to win their next 18 and setting a league record with a perfect record at home (16-0). They won 19 of their last 20 games to become the top seed with home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. They swept the four-time champion Houston Comets in the first round to pave the way for a new winner and knocked off the Sacramento Monarchs in three games to win the Western Conference title for the first time. ``They listened to us as a coaching staff and they believed and they see it, the light is at the end of the tunnel,'' Sparks coach Michael Cooper said. ``Starting down at Houston it was a pinhole, now they are starting to see it and there's a window of opportunity for us to go, as Pat Riley used to say, `seize the moment.' '' Charlotte started the season with its third new coach in three years in Anne Donovan. The honeymoon was horrible, but the Sting learned from their mistakes and won 17 of their last 21 games to earn the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. They knocked off the No. 1 seed in the East, the Cleveland Rockers, and the No. 2 seed, the defending conference champion New York Liberty The New York Liberty is a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in New York City. They are one of the eight original WNBA teams that began to see action in 1997, as well one of the most successful teams in WNBA history. , losing at home but winning both games on the road to become the Eastern Conference champions for the first time. It has been an incredible season for both teams and neither expected to be seeing each other again this year, especially Feaster and Machanguana, who don't have any regrets about being traded. ``There were absolutely no hard feelings for being traded from L.A.,'' said Feaster, who grew up in Chester, S.C., a 45-minute drive from Charlotte. ``I really enjoyed playing there. I really enjoyed playing for Coach Cooper. I enjoyed my teammates, but I cherish the opportunity to be able to play in Charlotte in front of family and friends.'' The timing was perfect for Machanguana, who wanted to be traded after playing a limited role with the Sparks the past two seasons. WNBA FINALS SPARKS at CHARLOTTE --What: Game 1 --When: Today at 5 p.m. --TV/Radio: ESPN ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network 2/1220-AM WNBA FINALS SPARKS vs. CHARLOTTE Today at Charlotte, 5 p.m. (ESPN2) Saturday at Sparks, 12:30 p.m. (NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. ) Sunday at Sparks, 12:30 p.m. (NBC) CAPTION(S): 2 boxes Box: (1) SPARKS at CHARLOTTE (see text) (2) SPARKS vs. CHARLOTTE (see text) |
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