12075: Rising Star in Utah (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Rising Star in Utah

Sun-Sentinel    Posted May 19 2002


Former Miami Edison star Marie Ferdinand of Utah was one of the best young
players in the league last year. With the Starzz's trade of Korie Hlede to
New York, Ferdinand will get more playing time to make her presence felt
this season.

The first Haitian to play in the WNBA averaged more than 11 points and shot
50 percent from the floor.

A year after her debut, the shooting guard spot is Ferdinand's. After coming
off the bench in the first 10 games of the 2001 season, she earned her first
start on June 29, two days after Hlede sprained her ankle in Miami.

Ferdinand (5-foot-9) never lost the starting job. She ended the season
ranked in six of nine statistical categories for WNBA rookies, including
field-goal percentage (second, 49.3 percent) and scoring (third, 11.4). She
finished third in voting for Rookie of the Year honors behind Jackie Stiles
of Portland and Lauren Jackson of Seattle.

"Her confidence tells me she is a player," Utah coach Candi Harvey said.
"The way she reacts in different situations, it's instinctive for her. She
was never afraid to take shots. You would ask her to take them, and she
would do it without flinching."

During the offseason, Ferdinand spent eight months overseas playing in
Poland with Utah center Margo Dydek.

She took only five days off in Miami before leaving for training camp. Her
time spent playing in Europe improved her 3-point shot and her chemistry
with Dydek, who served as interpreter for Ferdinand.

"I do think it's going to help us on the court," Ferdinand said. "I know her
strengths and weaknesses. I know where she likes the ball, and I now
understand her style of play. This season I am expecting a lot from myself.
I want to be more aggressive. I just want to do more than I did last year."

The Starzz were lucky to get Ferdinand eighth in the draft last year.
"People knew she was a great talent," Harvey said. "Maybe what they didn't
know about her was her court savvy."

AROUND THE RIM

Houston Comets coach Van Chancellor got a scare during training camp
recently when former Player of the Year Sheryl Swoopes bruised both her left
thigh and surgically repaired left knee during a scrimmage. Rookie Cori
Enghusen was trying to set a screen when she stepped into Swoopes' path and
knocked her down. Trainer Michelle Leget said Swoopes has only bruises below
her knee and on her thigh. Said Swoopes: "I think any time I go down, it's
going to be a little scary. I think just from practicing and playing I will
eventually work through and get over that."

The Cleveland Rockers waived guard Jameka Jones, who played for the Sol in
2000. ... Detroit Shock guard Dominique Canty will miss six weeks because of
a broken left hand that required surgery. She was injured in a practice
drill. ...

Portland Fire guard Jackie Stiles took time out from training camp to take
part in Southwest Missouri State University's graduation ceremony Friday.
Stiles, a physical education major, got her diploma during the on-campus
ceremony. ...

Five veterans head into the 2002 season with a perfect attendance record
over the past five years: (154 games) Janeth Arcain, Houston; Vicky Bullet,
Washington; Latasha Byears, Los Angeles; Bridget Pettis, Indiana; Andrea
Stinson, Charlotte and Teresa Weatherspoon, New York. ... Sol backup center
Marlies Askamp, expected in town today after playing overseas in Spain, is
due to reach her 150th WNBA game this season. Askamp, who has played in 146
games, begins training camp Monday. She is fully recovered from a torn
Achilles' tendon suffered in the regular-season finale last year. ...

Weatherspoon could become with first player to tally 1,000 assists.
Weatherspoon, the league's all-time leaders with 976 career handouts, needs
24 assists to pass the 1,000 mark. With a 6.3 apg career average, she is on
pace to set the record when the Liberty hosts the Sol on June 2. ...

Lauren Jackson, Seattle Storm center, on her first impression of new
teammate Sue Bird: "I knew absolutely nothing. We don't hear much about
college ball back in Australia. But we mucked around on the court and I
haven't seen anyone like her. She's bloody good ... We could be like [John]
Stockton and [Karl] Malone." ...

Penny Taylor, Cleveland Rockers forward, on winning her second straight MVP
honors in Australia's WNBL this past spring: "I was in a situation where I
was called upon to get my team across the line a little bit. In the last
three games of the regular season, I scored 40 or more points. I needed to
get big points for our team and points turn into MVP votes."

Sharon Robb's WNBA column appears Sundays. She can be reached at
srobb@sun-sentinel.com.


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