Yolanda Griffith and DeMya Walker named 2005 WNBA All-Stars

Published on July 6, 2005 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Sacramento Monarchs News Release


On June 30, the Sacramento Monarchs announced that former WNBA MVP Yolanda Griffith was named as a starter for the 2005 WNBA All-Star Game, to be played on Saturday, July 9, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Griffith, who will represent the Western Conference, will make her second appearance as a starter. Her first start was in 2001. This game will mark Griffith's fifth All-Star selection and the WNBA's sixth All-Star Game.

Griffith received 79,505 votes to garner the starting center spot for the Western Conference. While averaging 14.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, she ranks fourth in the League in double-doubles (4.0), is tied for fifth in rebounds per game and is tied for eighth in total efficiency points (15.75). Griffith is eleventh in the WNBA in field goal percentage (.503) and in points per game. She is the WNBA's all-time offensive rebound leader with 774. Her All-star selection is the second major milestone of the 2005 season. On June 24 versus Connecticut she scored her 3,000th career point for the Monarchs.

In addition, Monarchs forward DeMya Walker was selected on July 5 to her WNBA All-Star debut as a reserve player for the Western Conference squad. Fifth in votes for Western Conference forwards (41,565), Walker is averaging career bests in points, rebounds, steals, field-goal percentage and free-throw percentage. She currently ranks second in the league in field goal percentage (.500) and field goals made per 40 minutes (8.5). Walker is third in the WNBA in points per 40 minutes (21.0) and field goals made (93).

Fans determined the starters for the 2005 WNBA All-Star Game. Balloting was conducted online at wnba.com and in all 13 WNBA arenas across the country. The coaches of the Western Conference, however, selected Walker and the other reserves for the West.

Yolanda Griffith All-Star Performance facts:

- After competing in four WNBA All-Star games (2003, 2001, 2000, 1999), Yolanda Griffith is second in All-Star history with 21 made field goals.

- Yolanda Griffith leads all WNBA All-Stars in field goal percentage (.618).

- Yolanda Griffith's 29 total rebounds is tied for third in WNBA All-Star history.

- Yolanda Griffith is second in WNBA All-Star game history in points with 51. In 2001 she set a record for the highest field goal percentage in a single All-Star game, shooting 7-of-8 for .875%.

- In all of her WNBA All-Star game appearances, Yolanda has finished in the top three of all players in both scoring and rebounding.

- Individual All-Star game records: tied for third-most points in a game (17 PTS, 2001), tied for second-most field goals in a game (7 FG, 2001), tied for second-most free throw attempts in a game (6 FTA, 2000), tied for third-most rebounds in a game (10 REB, 2000).

Outlook for All-Star Weekend

Saturday, July 9 - WNBA All-Star Shootaround, 12:30 P.M. PDT at Mohegan Sun Arena
- televised on ESPN2

Saturday, July 9 - WNBA All-Star Game, 1:00 P.M. PDT at Mohegan Sun Arena
- televised on ABC

Injury Report

Kara Lawson - mild left ankle sprain (day-to-day)
Erin Buescher - lumbar strain (on injured reserve)
Sui Feifei - left knee contusion/sprain (on injured reserve)

Did you Know?

Tying the Best Start in Franchise History

Sacramento currently ties their best start in franchise history at 11-5. The team was off to this same impressive start in the 1999 and 2000 seasons. The Monarchs are in first place in the Western Conference. The only team with a better record is the Eastern Conference's Connecticut Sun (12-2).

Monarchs for Three (since 1999)

Sacramento has made at least one, 3-pointer in every game since the beginning of the 1999 season. That's 212 consecutive games that the Monarchs have netted a 3-pointer, at least once, from behind the arc.

Sacramento's Youth Movement

With the Sacramento roster more than half full of new, young faces, the Monarchs now have an average age of 25.7 years old compared to their 28 years old average from last seasons roster.

Seeing Double-Double

Yolanda Griffith has posted four double-doubles in 2005 (fourth in the WNBA). She now has 76 double-doubles in her WNBA career.

Griffith WNBA's All-Time Offensive Rebound Leader

Yolanda Griffith is the WNBA's all-time offensive rebound leader. She currently has 774 career offensive rebounds.

Penicheiro WNBA's All-Time Assist Leader

On June 17, 2004 at Minnesota, Ticha Penicheiro became the WNBA's all-time assist leader. She currently has 1,506 career assists.

Next Game: Vs. San Antonio Silver Stars, July 14, 11:30 A.M. PDT at ARCO Arena

In the second of four meetings with the Silver Stars this season, the Monarchs will host San Antonio at ARCO Arena on July 14th at 11:30 A.M. Yolanda Griffith and DeMya Walker will be the only two players to have participated in the WNBA All-Star game. The remainder of the Sacramento squad will be coming off a 10-day break after their July 3rd contest with Seattle.

Quotables

San Antonio Silver Stars head coach Dan Hughes, May 27, 2005 at San Antonio: Yolanda Griffith is the player that was the difference maker. She's a big time player. She is hard to guard and plays with a lot of pride.

San Antonio Silver Stars forward LaToya Thomas, September 2, 2004 vs. San Antonio: Sacramento has a great team; they have the best front line.... They're a talented team and if they're on fire it's hard to stop them.

Sacramento Monarchs head coach John Whisenant, May 27, 2005 at San Antonio: San Antonio is a team that will continue to get better. Coach Hughes and his staff are doing a good job with taking young centers and improving them and getting the best out of them. We feel fortunate to get out of here with a win. We didn't play our best but I was proud of my team and they competed hard. Yolanda Griffith showed why she's an Olympian and future hall-of-famer in the WNBA. If we didn't have Yolanda, we wouldn't have traded Chantelle Anderson here.

Monarchs/Silver Stars Connections

Silver Stars center Chantelle Anderson (2003-2004) and guard Edna Campbell (2001-04) are both former members of the Monarchs.

Silver Stars guard Nikki McCray ('95) and forward Shyra Ely ('05) and Monarchs guard Kara Lawson ('03) all graduated from Tennessee. Ely and Lawson were teammates for two seasons (2001-03).

Forward Wendy Palmer-Daniel ('96) of the San Antonio and Sacramento forward DeMya Walker ('99) both graduated from Virginia and were teammates for one season (1995-96).

Recent Game Recaps:

July 3, 2005 at Seattle - L, 74-67 (KeyArena) The Storm snapped a four-game losing streak in their return to Seattle as they topped the visiting Monarchs 74-67. Lauren Jackson's 17 and Suzy Batkovic's nine points led the Storm to a lead of as many as 21 points in the first half. Sacramento had trouble stopping Seattle's 59.3 percent first-half shooting percentage. The Storm's 48 first-half points were the most scored in against Sacramento in a half this season.

The Monarchs would return in the second half to outscore the Storm 37-26, including an 11-3 run. In addition, Sacramento's strong defense reduced Seattle's shooting to 31 percent after intermission and helped the Monarchs to close within 2 points (63-61) with under four minutes remaining. Jackson and Batkovic, however, surged again to lead an 11-6 run, hold the Monarchs scoreless in the final minute and close out the game 74-67.

Lauren Jackson finished the night with a game-leading 31 points and 13 rebounds. DeMya Walker led the Monarchs with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting. The contest marked the final game of a five-game, 10-day road trip that Sacramento finished 3-2. The Monarchs can now recuperate through the All-Star break. Their next contest is at home versus San Antonio on July 14.

July 1, 2005 at Detroit - W, 80-63 (The Palace of Auburn Hills) Sacramento defeated the Detroit Shock, 80-63, at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The Monarchs began the game with a 10-0 run and never looked back. The Shock tried to come from behind and were only only able to close within three points (17-14) with 13:28 left in the first half. With 11:56 before the break, Monarchs guard Kara Lawson went down with a mild left ankle sprain and did not return to the game. At intermission Sacramento led 38-31.

The second half proved much of the same for the Monarchs, eventually building a 17-point advantage by the end of the night. Sacramento guard Ticha Penicheiro dished out her 1,500th career assist with 16:23 remaining in the game.

Leading the Monarchs in the win was Nicole Powell with 17 points and five rebounds. Yolanda Griffith was next with 15 points and three rebounds, followed by Rebekkah Brunson who contributed a career-high 14 points off the bench, including four rebounds. Also scoring in double figures were Penicheiro and DeMya Walker with 10 points each. Penicheiro also totaled six assists in the victory.

Plenette Pierson led all scorers with 22 points off the Shock bench. Detroit's Deanna Nolan added 14 points and Cheryl Ford pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds.

June 30, 2005 at New York - W, 61-50 (Madison Square Garden) The Monarchs defeated the New York Liberty, 61-50, at Madison Square Garden. New York began the game on a 6-0 run. Sacramento answered with a 6-0 run to tie the game 6-6 with 14 minutes left in the half. The Monarchs took over for good less than a minute later on a hook shot by Rebekkah Brunson. With the 8-6 lead, Sacramento never looked back. New York was able to close within one point during the final minutes of the first half. The Monarchs, however, went on a 10-4 run to arrive at intermission with a 27-20 lead.

Sacramento built their lead to as many as 13 points in the second half. The Liberty was able to diminish their deficit to three points with 2:09 remaining in the game. The Monarchs then went on an 11-3 run to finish the game as they improved to 10-4 on the season.

DeMya Walker led all scorers with 20 points while grabbing nine rebounds. Yolanda Griffith notched her fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Hamchétou Maїga played her 1,000th career minute in a Monarchs uniform. Ticha Penicheiro and Chelsea Newton each added six points and five rebounds in the win.

Becky Hammon led the Liberty with 13 points, followed by Ann Wauters with 12 points and seven rebounds. The Monarchs held the points in the paint advantage 32-24 and had 12 second-chance points to the Liberty's four.

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Women's National Basketball Association Stories from July 6, 2005


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