WNBA playoffs over for Cardinal alums

Neither the Los Angeles Sparks nor the Connecticut Sun survived the second round of the WNBA playoffs.

The Sparks were overwhelmed by the Washington Mystics 96-64: Mystics ease past Sparks 96-64 to reach semifinals

Candace Parker was the only Spark to score in double digits. Nneka played for 31 minutes, scored just eight points and grabbed three rebounds. Karlie got a couple of minutes of playing time in the last few minutes of the game, but did not take a shot.

The Sun fought a very close battle with the Phoenix Mercury for 37 1/2 minutes, at which point the score was tied at 86-86. Then the mature, experienced Mercury closed out the game with a 10-0 run: Griner, Taurasi help Mercury beat Sun 96-86

Chiney was suffering from a bone bruise to her right knee and spent much of the game on the sidelines on an exercise bike. She played for 19 minutes, but tallied just two points, three rebounds and two steals.

Nneka and LA Sparks advance in playoffs

For the third consecutive season, the LA Sparks and the Minnesota Lynx met in an elimination game in the WNBA playoffs. In the previous two seasons, the game was the championship game — last night, it was a first round game.

The Sparks defeated the Lynx 75-68 in a hard-fought game and will play the Washington Mystics in the second round (also single-elimination) on Thursday.

Nneka has been struggling with mononucleosis for much of the season, but found the strength to play for 37 minutes. She tallied 19 points, five rebounds, two steals, an assist and a block.

Here is more information:

• A game story from espn
• The box score.
• A preview of the second round Sparks/Mystic game from the WNBA

Markisha Coleman is Pro-Am veteran

The S.F. Bay Area Pro-Am Basketball League gets little attention from the Bay Area media. Neither does Markisha Coleman (Stanford '07), who is about to begin her fifth season as the girls' basketball head coach at Menlo-Atherton school and who is a veteran member of the Pro-Am League.

The Pro-Am finished its season this week with the championship game on Thursday.

Terry Bernal (San Mateo Daily Journal) took the occasion to write this story about Markisha and the Pro-Am: M-A coach proves iron woman in Pro-Am playoffs

Bethany Donaphin works to improve WNBA

Former Stanford ('02) and WNBA star Bethany Donaphin was named head of league operations this season and hopes to bring the player experience into the league offices. Her involvement in basketball and business will help her to be an asset in a league that is expanding.

Read more in this interview by Amanda Scurlock (Los Angeles Sentinel): Bethany Donaphin Works to Improve WNBA

Nneka reaches 3500-point career mark

Nneka Ogwumike has reached 3500 WNBA career points after the 82-81 Sparks win over the Liberty yesterday.

This places her well-down on the WNBA all-time career scoring list (Diana Taurasi is the leader with 8472 points, Alana Beard is 25th with 4678.). but she has lots of time to move up. This is Diana's 14th year in the WNBA and Nneka's seventh.

Mikaela is re-habbing in Tasmania

Mikaela Ruef ('15) tore her ACL four months ago while playing in France. She has returned to Tasmania to recover from her surgery and joined her former team, the Launceston Tigers, at training last Saturday.

She will be helping the team off the court and also be participating in school clinics and community events for the rest of the season.

Read more from the Tasmania Examiner:

• Tornadoes favourite Mikaela Ruef takes one for the team
• Mikaela Ruef talks about recovery, love of Launceston and that incident with close friend Lauren Mansfield