Turnovers costly as the Shock begins 2011 WNBA season.
SAN ANTONIO, TX.– It wasn’t the start they were hoping for.
After jumping ahead early in the game, the Shock fell behind big at the end of the first quarter and San Antonio was able to sustain the lead, defeating the Shock, 93-73, in the 2011 season opener at the SBC Center in San Antonio Texas on Saturday night.
Elizabeth Cambage had a good regular season debut with 18 points and 10 rebounds and went 12 for 14 at the free throw line. Point guard Ivory Latta put up 15 points of her own but the two ladies combined for some 13 turnovers in the game.
“I think we started off very well, last year weren’t a good starting team,” Latta said. “Pretty much as Coach said, it was turnovers. Me, as the point guard here, I definitely blame myself for that. I had seven which is definitely unacceptable and that will change next game. I think second half we did a better job staying focused and doing what we do best and that’s running.”
In the end, it was the issue of turnovers that had Coach Nolan Richardson’s attention. “We didn’t play very well, particularly in the first half,” Head Coach Nolan Richardson said. The thing that is hurting us quite a bit is the turnovers. We had a total of 28 but we had a lot of turnovers and many of them unforced. We’re just not taking care of the ball and not being as sharp at this time of the year.”
Overall the Shock had a 37% shooting percentage with 23-of-61 attempts and allowed San Antonio to shoot a 55% rating. Including a 41.7% from three point range. Led by Cambage the Shock made 27 trips to the free throw line while the Silver Stars visited the stripe only 12 times. Tulsa also posted 40 rebounds to San Antonio’s 23.
“I was impressed with us going to the boards,” Richardson said. “We had a total of 40 (rebounds), which we don’t normally get that many. Of course they didn’t miss that many shots either so there were not a lot of rebounds for them to get.”
WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes had 5 points, two boards and two assists in 13 minutes in her return to the league.
Elizabeth Cambage took things in stride when analyzing her first official game in the WNBA. “Like Ivory said, I think we had a really good start but it’s just the turnovers,” Cambage said. “We’ve got to get those down. I know I had a lot of travels and just missing the passes. I just need to keep my hands up and get the ball.”
The Shock travel to Minnesota next to take on the Lynx on Tuesday June 7th at 7 p.m. Tulsa opens the home side of their schedule on Friday hosting the Silver Stars at 7pm in the BOK Center.
Photo by Kevin Pyle.