Phoenix guard garners second career weekly honor, first of 2008 season

PHOENIX – Two-time All-Star and 2007 WNBA Finals MVP Cappie Pondexter was named Western Conference Player of the Week, the WNBA announced today. Pondexter earns the honor for the second time in her career, first of 2008, after a week in which she averaged 22.3 points per game, 5.3 assists per game and 5.0 rebounds per game. Pondexter shot 38.6 percent (22-57) from the floor, 53.3 percent (8-15) from long-range and 93.8 percent (15-16) from the free-throw line. The Rutgers product helped lead the Mercury to a 2-1 week including victories over Los Angeles and Atlanta.

While playing host to the Sparks, Pondexter scored a team-high 27 points, including 4-4 from behind the three-point line and 11-11 on free throws. When not shooting, she helped facilitate the Mercury offense, dishing five assists. In her first game of the week, she tied Diana Taurasi for the team-lead in points with 23 while handing out seven assists as the Mercury lost to the Silver Stars, 97-87. In the final game of the week, she scored 17 points in limited minutes as the Mercury totaled the third-most points in franchise history in a 110-84 win over Atlanta.

The former No. 2 overall draft pick currently ranks second in the WNBA in scoring (23.2 points per game) behind only teammate Taurasi (23.5 points per game). She also ranks in the top 10 in assists with 4.6 per game. Both her points and assists average are on pace for career-highs. Currently in her third year in the league, she is already a US Olympian, two-time All-Star, a WNBA Finals MVP and a member of the Mercury’s 2007 WNBA Championship squad.

Detroit Shock guard Deanna Nolan was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the third time in her career, second of 2008. The Georgia product also received the award the week ending June 22.

The Mercury visits the Houston Comets for a matchup at Reliant Arena tomorrow night at 5:30 p.m. The team then travels to Sacramento to take on the Monarchs on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. before returning home to host the Seattle Storm on Friday at 7 p.m.

– phoenixmercury.com –

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