Sacramento Monarchs Fold!

In news that came as a shocking surprise today to just about everyone, including the team's GM/Coach, John Whisenant, the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs -- former WNBA Champions -- announced that they have folded, effective this morning. While there is some possibility that the team could be picked up by an owner in the Bay Area, it's just that -- a possibility. The one thing that seems certain is that former Terp Laura Harper, DC-area natives Kara Lawson and Becky Brunson, and the rest of their teammates won't be playing ball next summer in California's capital.

This is very sad news. Another team in the league is kaput. A team the BCs loved. More players might be out of jobs. Very, very sad. Let's hope the Bay Area move comes through!

The Vagaries of Youth

There were times during the Terps' 84-67 win over Old Dominion tonight when the young Maryland players looked as though they had been playing together for years, most notably early in the second half, when Maryland used a series of exciting, well-executed plays to open up a 26-point lead on the visiting Monarchs. But, alas, there were also times when it looked as if they had just met . . . and never played together before. That would be the 5 minutes or so following the Terps' big run, during which they allowed ODU to narrow that lead to single digits. Ahh, youth!

The Monarchs came into Comcast hoping to reverse course after last week's loss to #2 ranked Stanford by knocking off the untested Terps. As expected, ODU turned out to be the toughest opponent the Terps have faced so far this season. But while this was the closest thing to a competitive "game" we've seen, the young Maryland team played well enough -- in stretches -- to deny the visitors their first win of the season.

For the second game in a row, Diandra T led all Maryland scorers, tonight putting up 22 points. "Frenchie," as she's called by her teammates (the lamest nickname we've heard in a long time!), may be a Freshman, but she plays with a confidence and maturity beyond her years. Lynetta Kizer, again exhibiting some really strong moves inside (and some nice 15-foot jumpers as well), was close behind with 19 points, not to mention 10 boards for a double-double. Tianna Hawkins and Anjale Barrett also scored in double figures (11 and 10 points, respectively).

So the Terps' home win streak lives to see another day, and won't be tested again until Tuesday, when they play Stanford Samford. In the meantime, Maryland will be taking one of their few road trips of the pre-ACC season when they travel to Dixie on Sunday for a 3 PM ET game against #25 ranked Mississippi State of the SEC. A ranked team, on the road . . . this could be the Terps' toughest match-up of the out-of-conference schedule. (Unfortunately this game isn't televised, but you can follow the action via audio broadcast on WMUCSports.com)

If you've been at Comcast this season, it probably hasn't escaped your attention that attendance is down somewhat. For those who may be staying home because the "stars" have graduated (shame on you!), we'd like you to know that you're really missing a lot of fun. Every fan we've spoken to says the same thing: These young Terps are playing their hearts out, and they are fun to watch and fun to see grow! So get off your butts and come on out to Comcast. Bring your family, your friends, your co-workers, your barristas . . . we guarantee y'all will have a good time! So mark your calendars and come on out for a little pre-Turkey fun next Tuesday at 7 PM.

Meanwhile . . . Go Terps, Beat the MSU Bulldogs!

Growing on Us

We think it was sometime during those last 9-plus minutes of the first half when Maryland couldn't buy, beg, borrow or steal a basket -- going something like O-fer a zillion from the field -- that we really started to feel it . . . we were falling for this team. Screaming "D-fense" . . . yelling "Let's GOooooo Maryland" until our throats were getting hoarse. We were growing emotionally invested.

Those two exhibitions and the easy home opener were kinda like first dates. Everybody on their best behavior, but nobody really knowing the other party very well. Tonight was different. Tonight the relationship moved to a new level. We began to see the young Maryland team and its individual players for better or for worse. Warts and all. They thrilled us with some "wows" and they made us cringe with plenty of "aarghhs." But we left Comcast really caring about this team, really caring about these kids. We admit it, we left feeling hooked by this youth movement. We know we may be in for a roller coaster ride this season but we're prepared to tighten our seatbelts and enjoy whatever thrills and spills may lie ahead.

This evening at Comcast, the Terps knocked off their second opponent of the regular season, the University of New Hampshire, 63-43. We're hard pressed to remember the last time a Terps team scored only 63 points and won! But thanks to a defensive effort that kept Maryland in the game during that seemingly interminable first half offensive drought, the Terps took a small lead into the locker room and pulled away in the second half. It wasn't pretty. However, aided by a 58-rebound night and forcing 21 turnovers, Maryland overcame 19% FG shooting in the first half to keep the program's home win streak alive.

Three Terps posted double figures, with Diandra finishing with a game-high 17 points. Lynetta had 11 and Dara 10. Tianna led the way in the rebounding department, grabbing a game-high 15 boards.

The Terps' next opponent, Old Dominion University, is coming to town on Thursday (7 PM) and should provide the first real test of the new-look Terps, who will need a better and more consistent performance if they want to beat Coach Wendy Larry's perennial NCAA tournament team. So it should be an important and exciting game. Don't miss it.

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By the way, if (like the BCs) you did already miss the 2nd episode of Under the Shell, it's being rebroadcast on Comcast SportsNet tomorrow (Tuesday) at 7 PM.

Home Openers, like Homecomings, are supposed to be feel good games for the team and its fans. And that's what the re-tooled Terps delivered tonight. Hosting North Carolina Central (a D-I, but hardly formidable, opponent), Maryland raced out to an early lead and left no doubt as to the ultimate outcome. The Terps recorded their first regular season win, 88-39.

What the fans got tonight -- besides witnessing a lopsided victory -- were some glimpses of what we might see as this young team develops. We saw that in addition to dominating in the paint, Lynetta Kizer has added to her game, extending her range to include 15-foot jumpers. In only 21 minutes, Lynetta finished with a game high (and career high) 23 points (plus 8 boards). We also saw the amazing speed and passing ability of Freshman reserve PG Dara Taylor. We saw the shot-blocking potential of another Freshman reserve, 6'7" Essence Townsend. We saw another solid, athletic, double-figure performance from a local Freshman, Tianna Hawkins, who finished with 15 pts & 8 boards. And we saw the quiet, mature play of Freshman starter Diandra T, who also had a double-figure night with 11. We saw a good solid team effort.

So the regular season is finally underway. The Terps are 1-0, and the home win streak -- extending back two seasons -- remains intact. Next up, New Hampshire at Comcast on Monday night.

Photo Credit: DC BasketCases

The BasketCases don't normally make a habit of writing blog posts about press releases, but the one that Maryland issued yesterday rates a "Wow!" Here's the Link. And be sure you scroll down to see it all!

However, while we enjoyed taking a peek at the future, currently we're even more excited about the now. Tomorrow (Saturday) is the season-opener for the new young Terps. This year's team has some pretty exciting players of its own that next year's recruits will only help make stronger. All-American Dara Taylor, All-Met Tianna Hawkins, French National Team star Diandra T, and, of course, 2009 ACC Rookie-of-the-Year Lynetta Kizer; plus, Kim, Anjale and all the rest.

The Terps may be unranked now, but the BCs aren't convinced they'll stay that way. What this year's team doesn't have starting out is much experience or much time playing together. But make no mistake . . . this team has TALENT! Add great coaching to that talent and anything is possible. See for yourself as the season evolves. Start by heading on over to Comcast tomorrow at 7 PM (we'll be there), when the Terps host North Carolina Central. The regular season begins! Go Terps!

Sorry We Missed It!

One of the BCs was a bit under the weather today, so we didn't make it to the Terps' second -- and final -- exhibition game, a 101-43 nail-biter win over the Catholic University "Cardinals." (Hmm, maybe next time CU should send the Pontiffs!)

This was another game in which every Maryland player got plenty of minutes (18 or more to be exact); in which every Maryland player scored (at least twice); in which 6 Maryland players finished in double figures; and in which two Maryland players notched double-doubles. RS Freshman Jackie Nared "doubled up" with 12 pts & 15 rbs, and Freshman Tianna Hawkins -- now 2 games into her college career -- posted her second double-double with 12 pts & 11 rbs.

Thus ends the exhibition season. Next up, a real D-I opponent, which should test the team a bit more, we would expect, than tonight's D-III frolic.

But while we wait for Saturday's 7 PM home opener against North Carolina Central, we can still get a little Terps fix on TV this week. Staying home this evening (spending quality time with the tissue box) allowed the BCs to check out the listings on Comcast SportsNet and confirm that Under the Shell, our favorite TV show (well, maybe tied for favorite with The Big Bang Theory), will be premiering this Thursday at 9:30 PM on CSN. (A helpful reader already posted this information in a comment to our previous post; and indeed Ms/Mr Anonymous is correct. Thank you!) So tune in or set your DVR (or both) . . . you wouldn't want to miss this season's first episode.

To recap: TV on Thursday. Live regular-season action on Saturday. In other words, lots of excitement on tap later this week!

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Wednesday morning update: The Washington Post's Camille Powell takes a look at the new and "unproven" Terps in an interesting season preview here.

Tonight, we got our first close-up look at the new, young 2009-10 Terps in a game situation -- an exhibition against Bowie State -- and the BasketCases came away with one overriding question . . . Could the names on the players' uniforms have been any smaller?

Everybody knows that the State of Maryland is in the midst of a huge financial crisis . . . but really! How much would a little more red thread have cost? We bet, if asked, the Rebounders would've passed the hat and contributed enough loose change to pay for a few more spools! The BCs would've been willing to help. Take it from us, all those new faces, no roster sheets and microscopic fonts Do Not Mix!

Of course, one of our section-mates suggested the problem was that the team had to select a font small enough for all 12 letters of Diandra's last name to fit on her jersey. But here's the BC's solution . . . she's from France, right? She's new to the USA, right? She knows the NCAA has all sorts of rules, right? So just tell Diandra that under NCAA regulations, uniform names can't exceed 8 letters! T-c-h-a-t-c-h-o-u-a-n-g. Let her pick her favorite 8 letters and those will be the ones stitched on her uniform. Problem solved! Name shortening . . . hey, it's the American way! If it was good enough for the BC's ancestors arriving at Ellis Island, it's good enough for the Terps, right? Just a thought. But we digress.

Returning to the game . . . we have to confess that when the new Terps ran out to warm up, it seemed a little strange. We were looking at a team (and a program) undergoing its first major overhaul in quite a few years. It just felt odd. But not odd bad; more like odd interesting, exciting and fun.

Exciting to see Lori Bjork and Jackie Nared finally out there on the court, after a year on the sidelines. Exciting to see the returning veterans like Lynetta, Kim, Anjale and Yemi. Interesting to see all the newbies like Dara Taylor, Tianna Hawkins, Diandra T(+7) and Essence Townsend. Fun to see Kim nailing three-pointers like she did last March in Greensboro . . . especially that one off the glass (the BCs think she deserves to be credited with an assist and the score on that one!). Interesting and exciting to wonder what all these new players and this new season will bring.

Tonight's game was fun to watch in that not particularly competitive exhibition game sorta way. The Terps easily defeated neighboring Bowie State, 90-48. Every player on the Terps roster saw plenty of playing time and everyone scored. Freshman Tianna Hawkins led all scorers with 20 points and notched her first collegiate double-double by adding 10 boards. Pretty good debut!

It was an exhibition game against a D-II school, so it's a little early to take too much away from tonight's result. But for such a new -- and young-- team, it was a chance for the players to get their feet wet against a real opponent, with real refs, with real fans in the stands, and with real score being kept. A successful outing, no doubt, from that standpoint. Exhibition or not, congratulations to the Terps on their first "W" of the season!

"What the heck happened to the BasketCases?"

If that's what you, our loyal readers, have been thinking, well, we're not surprised. It's been over two weeks since our last post . . . a record!

And while we're not really supposed to tell you where we've been during that time, here's a little hint: Let's just say that during most of the last two weeks we've been "Racing" all over the place and it's been simply "Amazing!"

Anyway, in case you're interested, here's a recap of some of the places we've been and the people we've seen since we last checked in with you:

The picture on the left probably looks familiar. Yes, that's BWI Airport, the starting point for the first leg of the BCs' Amazing adventure.

Once we assembled with rest of the "tourists" at BWI, our "tour organizer" told us to travel by plane to Tel Aviv where we were instructed (again by our "tour organizer") to find a group of young female army recruits (easy enough to spot) and then provide their platoon leader the answer to the following question: "Name a famous basketball player from Ramat HaSharon who won an American National championship." While other teams, we mean tourists, ran off to find a computer to research this, we said, "Shay Doron, of course!" and the platoon leader handed us our next clue, we mean itinerary.

The instructions told us to travel by bus to Hertzeliya and find the gymnasium where the Raanana Hertzeliya team plays. Then we were to look for a young woman named Kristi sitting on the team bench. We were instructed to say to her, "Toliber, Holy Cow!" and she would hand us our next clue. Frankly, we almost didn't need a clue (except for the "Toliber" part) on this one. As soon as we walked into the gym, we turned to each other and said, "That's Kristi Toliver over there . . . Holy Cow!" But we did as instructed (giving Kristi a big "Hi" and a hug) and received our clue/instruction which turned out to be a Roadblock. (A Roadblock is a task that only one member of a team may perform.) In this Roadblock, one of us had to beat Kristi in a game of H-O-R-S-E. Oh, like that's gonna happen! Ha! Luckily the instructions also said that once you lose 5 consecutive games, Kristi will give you the next clue anyway. And even more lucky for the BCs, Kristi (recognizing the BCs from all those Rebounder socials and knowing we are Terps fans), took pity on us and took all her shots against BC Eileen backwards! Well, that shortened the game considerably (though she still made several shots!). After that, the clue she handed over sent us to the only high-rise hotel in Hertzeliya which was the pit-stop for the first leg of the race, we mean tour.

The next day we received instructions to return to Tel Aviv and fly by plane (no balloon girls are we!) to Bucharest, Romania. So we caught a flight on Czech Airlines, connecting through Prague, and arrived about 10 hours later. We found the clue box at the gate. The clue said to travel by bus to Targoviste and find the gymnasium for the city's women's professional basketball team.

Once there, the instructions said we were to find the 2005 Basketball MVP of the Maccabi Games, and she would give us the next clue. Now that might require a little homework for some teams, we mean tourists. But the BCs knew exactly who we'd be seeing and we couldn't be more excited! The bus trip from Bucharest to Targoviste took about an hour, but once there, thanks to directions from one of our fellow passengers, we found the gym very easily. As for finding the player . . . that took maybe 3 seconds! We immediately spotted Shay practicing at the free throw line, gave her a big hug, and she handed us the next clue. The clue said we were to travel by donkey (waiting for us outside the gym) to Chindra Tower, a famous structure built by Count Dracula. When we arrived we had to don black capes and fake fangs, then we had to climb the dark narrow winding staircase with only a single candle between us to light our way. When we reached the top and exited onto the roof, we then had to rappell down the side of the tower, donkey back to town, and find the hotel that served as the next pit stop. Simple!

The next morning, we repeated the bus trip back to Bucharest, and from there we flew on Alitalia to Venice, Italy. What a beautiful city! Unfortunately, we had little time for sightseeing. We immediately had to travel by water taxi to the canal landing closest to the Rialto Bridge. There, in an open air cafe, we were to find one of the 3 young ladies (among about 2 dozen patrons) who were members of Umana Reya Venezia, a professional women's basketball team in the city. Well, that was easy! They may have outfitted her with dark glasses and a floppy hat, but that didn't fool the BCs! There in the back supposedly incognito (Ha!) was Harp! After a shriek, a hug and a clue from Laura, the BCs (following instructions) dove off the landing, swam across the canal and proceeded on foot (and wet!) to the bus station where we caught the first bus to the small city of Schio, about 100 kilometers north-west of Venice.

Once in Schio, we had to find our way on foot to the gymnasium that serves as the home court of Familia Wuber Schio, a professional women's basketball team. There we were to find the player named Marissa icing her ankle on the bench while reading a copy of the Terrapin Times (international edition). Each team had to correctly answer a trivia question in order for her to give us the next clue. The question was "How many members of the starting line-up of the 2006 NCAA Women's D-I Basketball Champions had their numbers honored and have banners hanging in their University arena?" The clue said that if you gave an incorrect answer, your penalty was that you had to make 3 consecutive free throws before you could try again. Talk about E-Z! The BCs didn't have to attempt a single free throw. We simply opened one hand, flashing Riss 5 fingers. We got a big smile, a hug and our next clue. While other teams were busy at the charity stripe, the BCs were busy traveling by taxi to the famous (at least in Schio) Little Church of St. Mary, which was the pit stop for this leg of the race, uhh, tour.

The following morning we chose one of the Fiats provided by the tour organizer who instructed us to drive ourselves to Milan,about 170km away. Fortunately BC Eileen can drive a stick shift. Unfortunately, Italy is full of crazy drivers! What an adventure that turned out to be. But as adventures go, it was nothing compared to the culinary adventure that we found in the next clue upon our arrival in Milan. It was another Roadblock. This one required one of us (BC Judith) to consume a full plate of a classic Italian holiday dish, Zampone. It's a very "tasty" recipe that features lentils topped by a large pig's foot and is stuffed with ground pig snout and other delicacies thrown in for added flavor. Yummy!

After "lunch,"we were again headed to the airport, this time, to catch a flight to Madrid. Once there, we had to travel by taxi to the Metropolis Building where we'd find our next clue. From there, we were instructed to find the basketball court used by Rivas Ecopolis, a professional women's team in the city. The clue was very specific: we needed to be in the stands when the game tipped off at 8:00 that evening. It said that during the game we had to keep track of the points and rebounds of one Rivas Ecopolis player, Crystal Langhorne. Then, at the conclusion of the game, we were to give our total to the official scorekeeper. If correct, we received our next clue. This task wasn't easy. It was hard for the BCs to avoid getting caught up in the excitement of the game and just keep track of Lang's numbers! But we did it and got the clue, took a moment to say hello to Crystal, and then headed off in search of our tour's final pit stop elsewhere in Madrid.

This amazing adventure was nearing its conclusion, but before heading back to the good old USA, we had to face one final test. First, we had to fly to Paris. (It's a dirty job but someone has to do it!) Then we had to travel by bus or train to the suburb of La Courneuve, the home of a young member of the French National Basketball team, Diandra Tchatchouang. We had to find the school she attended, locate her former coach who had to teach us to say "Fear the Turtle" in French. Now this may not seem like a difficult task unless you are aware that BC Eileen suffers from FLD (foreign language dyslexia). It's a brain disorder that renders her virtually mute in non-English speaking countries. So this task took a while. But somehow, someway she pushed through and the team finally earned a pronunciation thumbs up. And then it was back to Charles DeGaulle airport to book a flight home.

We shouldn't tell you this, but we have a really hard time keeping secrets from our loyal readers, so what the heck: By time we boarded Air France for Dulles, there were only 3 teams left "touring." One, of course, was the BCs; one was a lady named Joanne P and her husband, a professor; and the third was a pair from Tennessee, Pat S and her son, Tyler.

We're not allowed to tell you which couple arrived back first. But we guess there's no harm in sharing with you that one of the 3 teams got delayed by Homeland Security upon entering the U.S. because one member of the team had an unfortunate "airport incident" on his record and was selected for additional screening; meanwhile another of the 3 teams was delayed entering the country by the Dept of Agriculture because of a not that long ago "close encounter" with a possibly rabid raccoon. This, of course, allowed one of the 3 teams to zip through Customs and on to their final destination -- the end of an amazing race, we mean whirlwind tour -- without interference. We're sorry we can't tell you which team made it to the mat first (you'll just have to wait until the show airs) . . . but Sharma, if you're reading this, the BCs may just want to up their Rebounder membership level to MVP next season. (We've recently come into a little money.)

So, loyal readers, while we've been lax in posting, it wasn't because we were ignoring you. As you can tell from our travelogue, we were pretty darn busy. But the good news is, we're baaaack! And the even better news is: so are the Terps! Their first exhibition game is tomorrow night, Wednesday, at 7 PM at Comcast against Bowie State. See ya there!

In the Summer of 1998, the WNBA welcomed two expansion teams to its ranks, one named the Washington Mystics and the other the Detroit Shock.

Now only one remains. Early this morning, the news broke on the RebKell WNBA message board that the Shock were leaving Detroit and heading to Oklahoma. By this evening, ESPN was also reporting that a group from Tulsa had indeed bought the Detroit franchise.

While the Shock players will still have jobs -- albeit in another city -- their fans in Detroit will no longer have a team. And Coach Mahorn and his staff, well, they apparently are not part of the deal. Tulsa has already hired former Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson. We also suspect that the Shock's name, so fitting for Detroit, will not fit quite as well in Tulsa.

The BasketCases find all of this very sad. We hate it when WNBA teams fail. We hate it for the sport of women's professional basketball, but we hate it most for the fans of the failed team. No doubt there are fans in the Motor City who feel as passionately about their (former) team as the BasketCases and so many others in D.C. feel about the Mystics. We know there are . . . we've met some of them. And what's particularly sad is that the Shock failed at the box office . . . certainly not on the court. They own 3 WNBA Championship trophies. In fact, they are the only team in the Eastern Conference to have won the big one, and they did it not once, not twice, but three times in their 12-year history. Pretty damn good.

But Detroit's paid attendance has struggled for years, and the economic meltdown that absolutely clobbered the city may have been the final blow. So are we shocked that the franchise was sold? No, not really. But just because many of us saw the writing on the wall doesn't mean that the reality of it really and truly sucks.

New Look, New Faces, New Terrapins!

The Terps' booster club (aka The Rebounders) got our first look at Maryland's new operating system this afternoon when we were invited to watch the team's full (intense!) 3-hour practice. Windows 7 may be replacing Vista this week, but that overhaul is nothin' compared to the challenge facing Coach B and her staff this season. Her team consists of 1 returning starter, a few sophomores who saw modest playing time, 1 senior/grad student transfer, and 4 talented -- but raw -- young freshmen. So this year's team is a totally new look with plenty of new faces. And as much as we still love those stars of yesteryears, the BasketCases have to admit that seeing all these new and young players was very exciting!

The roster wasn't the only thing that got a makeover. Rebounders were treated to a behind-the scenes tour of the newly refurbished Team Room. We definitely approve of the new lighter color scheme and new photos. Looks great!

And a new mantra above the locker room door.

The four completely new additions: (left to right) Freshmen Tianna Hawkins, Essence Townsend (who, btw, makes DeWanna Bonner look buff), Dara Taylor (lightning fast!), and the Terp who traveled the farthest (France to College Park), Diandra Tchatchouang.

New Assistant Coach Dave Adkins putting the team through defensive drills.

A little half-court work against the (also new!) Scout Team.

Coach B huddles with her team and coaches.

Despite an exhausting 3 hours of work, work, work . . . afterwards, the players graciously mingled with the Rebounders. The players (and a couple of the coaches) may be new, but the Terps fans aren't. There's no doubt -- judging from all the cheering coming from the stands during today's practice -- that "the team behind the team" will be there again this season, helping to encourage this young group to achieve great things. Go Terps!

Photo Credit: DC BasketCases

***Warning: Totally Off Topic Post!***

The BasketCases have attended every Gay Rights march held in our Nation's Capital since the very first one in 1979. Though one of us spent her day in the office (thank you IRS! pffft!), the other made sure that the streak remained unbroken. And so today the BasketCases were well represented at the National Equality March.

Unlike the earlier ones, this March was a mostly grassroots effort. There was definitely some pre-March concern that the turnout would be poor. To our wonderful surprise, it was not! The West Lawn of the Capitol, where the post-March rally took place, was so crowded by the 2PM start that police were already directing people away from the main viewing area toward the side lawns. The thing that struck us the most about today's event was the presence of so many young people! Young and gay, or young and gay-friendly, people who want a different world . . .AND WANT IT NOW! For us "mature" types . . . that was truly inspiring.

Our favorite sign (to quote the Energizer bunny. . . still waiting) .

One of the biggest stars at today's March . . . Lady Gaga! (The BasketCases confess . . . prior to this weekend, we had never heard of Lady Gaga. Not true for most of the folks on the West Lawn. In fact, it would be an understatement to say that the crowd went wild when Lady Gaga appeared.) We became immediate fans when when she told those assembled that this was the most important day of her career.

"Sex and the City's" Cynthia Nixon also drew loud applause for her speech insisting on equal rights for gay and lesbian families. ( . . . still younger than the BCs, but at least someone we know and like!).

The afternoon drew to a close with a rousing performance of "Let the Sunshine In" by the Broadway cast of "Hair." The many thousands of people on the Lawn swayed with the music and many sang along. Speaking of sunshine, you couldn't have asked for a sunnier or more beautiful fall day in Washington. What a great day for a March! We were happy that so many people from out-of-town came to our city today to participate in this wonderful event. And we hope that every one of them returns home energized to continue the work for full equality.

Photo Credit: DC BasketCases

Oh, This is Terrible News!

The BasketCases have received an unconfirmed (but reliable) report that the Terps' 2009-10 season has been cancelled! Why? Apparently, with the exception of Lynetta Kizer and Emery Wallace, the entire roster of the Maryland women's basketball team has decided to play Beach Volleyball!

The first-ever University of Maryland women's Beach Volleyball squad posing in the sand.

Founding Members of the Terrapins' Beach Volleyball team in action.

While many of us were already looking forward to the arrival of the Fab Five (incoming freshmen) for the 2010-11 season, nevertheless we were even more excited about the soon-to-begin 2009-10 season.

But now this! No players, no team, no season! We don't know about you, but the BasketCases -- as much as we like Beach Volleyball -- are absolutely devastated about this latest development. We are soooo depressed.

Photo Credit: David Adkins

Another Mountain Stater!

West Virginia has been very kind to the University of Maryland, giving the Terps the legendary Vicky Bullett. And now word is swirling around College Park that another future star from West Virginia, 6'2" Power Forward Whitney Bays, verbally committed to Maryland last night.

The highly-sought after Bays, ranked #13 in the Nation by HoopGurlz, was last season's West Virginia player of the year! Whitney's decision to attend Maryland is another HUGE get for Coach B and the Terps' Class of 2010.

Welcome -- and congratulations -- Whitney! We're looking forward to seeing you play at Comcast!

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More about Whitney from Matt Bracken, here.

The Future Is Now

How lucky are we?!! The USA Basketball Women's National Team convened its first training camp this week (since the last Olympics) right here in Washington, D.C., at -- appropriately enough -- American University. Today the team held an open practice, and those of us who passed up the glorious fall day outside to spend several hours indoors at Bender Arena made an excellent choice. To say that we saw a group of All Stars would be understatement. What we saw this afternoon were some of the best women's basketball players on the planet -- including representatives of the past, the present, and the future, of USA Basketball.

Absent, of course, were several key members of the team (like Beijing Gold Medalists Diana Taurasi, Tamika Catchings and Cappie Pondexter) who were busy playing for a WNBA Championship. And several members of the team (like Gold Medalist Kara Lawson and Mystics All Star Alana Beard) were present but sidelined from practicing due to injury. Even so, the level of talent on the court was amazing! And while it's always fun to watch the WNBA's annual All Star Game, this concentration of All Star talent -- practicing and competing for something very near and dear to the hearts of all the players present -- was far more exciting and interesting! Indeed, this was serious business, as the players are fighting first for roster spots on the USA team headed to Russia on Tuesday, as well as for spots on the World Championship team next year, and the ultimate prize, a place on the 2012 Olympic Team.

And in that respect, what we saw today was also a bit of a changing of the guard. Gone are Team USA veterans like Lisa Leslie and Tina Thompson; but on the court this afternoon were several young players, including the oh-so-impressive Maya Moore, who is still in college, and young pros like the Mystics' Lindsey Harding and Crystal Langhorne, and WNBA rookies like Angel McCoughtry and Renee Montgomery. As we watched the young players go head-to-head against seasoned pros like Sue Bird, it was clear that the future for Team USA is very bright indeed.

Before things got going, the players warmed up and stretched . . .

. . . and did a little chatting along with the stretching . . . Seimone Augustus, Candace Parker, Crystal Langhorne, and Lindsay Whalen

The Mystics' own Lindsey Harding, waiting to take the floor.

"Whoa, Lindsay, these kids are good!"

The five injured players: Seimone Augustus, Alana Beard, Jayne Appel, Lindsay Whalen, and Kara Lawson.
Team USA's coaches were formally introduced: Head Coach Geno Auriemma and his Assistants, Jen Gillom and Doug Bruno

Geno took the team through two hours of drills as well as half-court and full-court intra-squad scrimmages.

Even when not playing, the players were still paying very close attention.

Geno was everywhere, teaching and coaching. Here, he wasn't particularly happy that Big Syl did not have a hand in Candace Parker's face, and so . . .

. . . he showed Big Syl exactly what he wanted , and Big Syl did exactly as Coach instructed!

Coach Auriemma delivers a little "hands on" instruction to Shameka Christon, as this season's WNBA Rookie of the Year Angel McCoughtry (and a likely future ROY, Maya Moore) look on.

There is so much talent on this team that the players were able to split into three teams -- red, white, and blue (what else?). Each was probably good enough to beat most WNBA teams!

The players were finally allowed to sit down about two hours in.

After practice, Lang made an unscheduled trip into the stands to say hello to the many Mystics and Terps fans she recognized in the house. Just another reason why we love this young lady!

This afternoon's official host was American University Women's Basketball Head Coach Matt Corkery, who could not have been more gracious. The BasketCases were very pleased to meet him.

Coach Corkery took a moment to introduce his team, the Eagles, to the crowd. He not only invited everyone to return for a game this season, but he gave a money back guarantee -- if you don't have fun, Coach Corkery will personally refund the price of your ticket. Now, that's an offer you can't refuse!

Also in the house today was Mystics GM Angela Taylor, who eats, sleeps, and breathes basketball. Here she is getting an early start recruiting a future free agent.

When the practice was over, Geno took questions from the crowd, as the players got ready for an autograph session.

The players were split among four table for the autographs. This one had the longest line. We think it's because Alana Beard and Virginia native Kara Lawson were there.

Well . . . okay, we confess, Candace Parker was at this table too

Lindsey Harding and Tina Charles signing away.

A couple of former Huskies, Renee Montgomery and Swin Cash, strictly following the Funnel Cake diet. (We don't recommend it!)

Lang, Big Syl, Candice Wiggins, and Seimone. (In the background is Women's Basketball Hall of Famer and Philadelphia Inquirer Sportswriter Mel Greenberg, who made the trek from Philly to take in the action.)

Next Stop Russia!! Tomorrow, USA Basketball will announce the roster for the team that will be heading over to play this week in Ekaterinburg. Good luck to all!

Photo Credits: DCBasketCases