Coach Richardson finalizes roster; season begins June 4.
TULSA, OK– With the waiver of Betty Lennox early on June 3rd, Coach Nolan Richardson and the Tulsa Shock have the 11-player roster necessary to begin the Shock’s second season in the WNBA this summer.
The 2011 Tulsa Shock final roster is as follows:
#0 Chastity Reed
#4 Amber Holt
#8 Elizabeth Cambage
#10 Andrea Riley
#12 Ivory Latta
#14 Kayla Pedersen
#20 Marion Jones
#21 Jennifer Lacy
#22 Sheryl Swoopes
#24 Miranda Ayim
#33 Tiffany Jackson
Shock players returning to the team from the 2010 season are Marion Jones, Amber Holt, Ivory Latta and Tiffany Jackson. The roster also includes first round draft pick Elizabeth Cambage from Australia and 7th round draft pick Kayla Pedersen from Stanford. Former OSU Cowgirl Andrea Riley was acquired from Los Angeles in a trade during the off season, and the Shock signed 11-year veteran and 4-time WNBA champion Sheryl Swoopes shortly before training camp.
The Shock also added Teresa Edwards to the coaching staff in the off season. Edwards competed in 5 Olympic games from 1984-2000 in women‘s basketball, winning four gold medals and a bronze and she was listed as #22 on Sports Illustrated “Top 100 Female Athletes of All-Time” in 2000.
In preseason action last Sunday the Shock fell 76-70 to the 2010 defending champion Seattle Storm in Key Arena. The Shock fell behind in the first quarter and despite a late rally, failed to make up the distance in the remainder of the game.
Amber Holt led the Shock with 25 points, 11 of them coming during the team’s third quarter rally that cut a 20-point halftime lead to just 12 heading into the fourth quarter.
In her WNBA preseason debut, rookie Elizabeth Cambage had 10 points and eight rebounds with eight of her 10 points coming from the free throw line.
The team will open the 2011 season on the road this Saturday, June 4th on the road in San Antonio against the Silver Stars, and will travel to Minnesota to face the Minnesota Lynx in Minneapolis on Tuesday June 7th. The Shock will return for their home opener in the BOK Center next Friday night when they take on the Silver Stars.
Tipoff next Friday is slated for 7pm. Tickets are available online at wnba.com/shock, by calling 918 599 WNBA, or at the BOK Center Box Office.
Photo by Kevin Pyle.