CONWAY, S.C. – The Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) has been practicing at Kimbel Arena this week as it prepares for the 2008 playoffs. The Coastal Carolina University women's basketball team has loaned out the facility to the Sun as it tunes up for a best-of-three series against the New York Liberty, starting Thursday, Sept. 18 in New York.
Connecticut Head Coach Mike Thibault and the Sun arrived in Myrtle Beach for four days of preparation Sunday, Sept. 14. Coastal Carolina provides not only a practice facility for the Sun, but several other benefits.
"We get away to a place where they can have some relaxation time and be at the beach," Thibault continued. "We are in a practice place where we get some quality time away and there aren't too many distractions on the basketball court. The people here always treat us great, we get some guys to practice against that give us great competition. It's a little bit of a reward for our team just for how we've played in the regular season. I just think being down here puts us in the right mental frame of mind before we start the playoffs. It's been a great experience from day one."
Coastal Carolina Head Coach Alan LeForce and the Chanticleers have been in attendance for several of the practice sessions.
"Anytime you can get a professional team to come in and workout at your facility, it’s a plus," remarked LeForce. "For our young ladies to see these women play and watch the things they do on the court, it gives them some idea of what the next level is like. They have been coming down here for a few years now, and every time they come, it just helps our program."
Junior Kendra Reynolds (South Bend, Ind./Olney Central J.C.) is new to the Chanticleers squad this season, having played the past two seasons at Olney Central Junior College.
"I'm from Indiana, so I have been out to a (Indiana) Fever game, but I've never seen the Sun play," commented Reynolds after practice. "Watching them practice this closely, it just makes you want to get out there and play. It makes you want to work hard to get to that next level."
The No.2-seed Connecticut Sun will travel Wednesday night to New York, N.Y., to face the No. 3-seed New York Liberty in the Eastern Conference Semifinal Thursday, Sept. 18, in New York. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
