Often in basketball, if a team is up by 10 or more in the fourth quarter, the stands slowly empty out before the buzzer even hits zero. That wasn’t the case for the Connecticut Sun’s final victory, 95-81 vs. the Toronto Tempo on September 24.
With the loudest “Go Sun” chants and the strongest “boo”s Mohegan Sun Arena heard that summer, no one would have guessed there was nothing on the line. No playoffs, no “See you next season,” just 40 minutes. If there is one word to describe the performance Connecticut Sun players delivered, it would be symbolic.
A Game with Every Skillset
“I want to involve everyone tonight,” Head Coach Rachid Meziane said ahead of the matchup. One of this team’s biggest challenges this season was constant changes in rotations and team rhythm because of injuries. Their final game was no different.
Heading into their final matchup against the Toronto Tempo, several leaders were injured. This included center Brittney Griner, forward Kennedy Burke, center Olivia Nelson-Ododa, and guard Saniya Rivers. While there were missing pieces on the court, those with less experience continued to do what they did all season: show up.
Throughout the season, there was a lot of discussion about the difficulties that come with injuries. That said, while some saw it as a setback, others saw it as an opportunity. Especially throughout the last few games of the Connecticut Sun’s final season, several rookies delivered.
Taking Opportunity
By themselves, center Raegan Beers, guard Ashlon Jackson, and guard Gianna Kneepkens scored 47 points Thursday night. That accounted for just under half of the team’s 95. Beers scored her career high. Jackson scored her career high. Kneepkens scored her second-most points ever in a game. None of this came out of nowhere.
This is what happens when the hard work that doesn’t get talked about during practice finally comes out onto the court. These girls, and the future the league has in store, define taking an opportunity and running with it, even if it is just for a few games.
“[I’m] so proud of Gianna,” rookie guard Charlisse Leger-Walker said following Kneepkens’ career-high in their second-to-last home game. “Literally every time Gianna catches the ball, I’m like, ‘Shoot that.’ Every time she lets it go, in my mind, I feel like it’s going in.”
“As a rookie, any time on the court is really important for your career and you as a basketball player,” Kneepkens said following her career-high against the Minnesota Lynx. While her time was limited this season, the way she ended it in Connecticut Sun’s final week reminded the crowd that she’s only at the start of her career.
New Beginnings
There’s been a lot of focus on the “last” s of the Connecticut Sun, when the performances these rookies delivered during the season’s final moments were a symbol of the new beginnings to come for this group.
Jackson, a rookie, will go down in history as the final person to score a basket for the Connecticut Sun.
“[Jackson] has been working her tail off,” Beers said in an exit interview. “Working from a developmental player all the way to now, so to see her end her rookie year like that was just so deserving.”
Although Jackson wasn’t signed to a rest-of-season contract until August 15, the guard made the most of that time. There was no better way to symbolize what’s to come for season two than by doubling her previous season high for her final night in a Sun jersey.
“I love working with young players,” Meziane said during the team’s final postgame press conference. “I like seeing them migrate and be able to transfer that onto the floor.”
What’s to Come
All season long, press after press, Sun players emphasized the need to stay present. They constantly talked about work ethic, getting in the gym, and the work behind the scenes. Oftentimes, people are so caught up in what happens in 40 minutes that the hours upon hours go unnoticed.
Ahead of their final matchup, Meziane encouraged his players not to get caught up in the emotions. Instead, he encouraged them to focus on the game. Players dealt with outside noise about the Houston relocation all season, and Thursday was no different. Players responded the same way: with focus, presence, and hard work.
The Sun is now officially set in Uncasville, Connecticut. With a beautiful sunset that Mohegan Sun Arena painted picture-perfectly Thursday night, come even more beautiful beginnings beyond the horizon. This is only the beginning – for athletes, for fans, for the league – and despite being in its 30th season, women’s basketball will only continue to rise.
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