May 21, 2003 News & Views » News Feature

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New Season, New Owner, New Hope 

The Sting heads into a make-or-break year

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click to enlarge COURTESY OF WNBA PHOTOS - Tammy Sutton Brown of the Sting holds her own
  • Courtesy of WNBA Photos
  • Tammy Sutton Brown of the Sting holds her own

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The Sting believe Stinson has plenty left to give. She signed the first day of training camp and received the maximum the league allows for a veteran player, $85,000. General Manager Bernie Bickerstaff said, "We wanted to take care of the nucleus of people who have brought us to where we are."

As of May 14, Tonya Edwards had missed training camp and not accepted an offer with the Sting or another club. The same was true for Erb, who returned from playing in the Canary Islands around May 11. As of midnight May 13, Edwards and Erb were placed on the suspended list and became restricted free agents, which means they could sign with another team if the Sting were unwilling to match the offer.Feaster and Sutton-Brown were especially missed in the preseason. At small forward, Feaster provides a consistent three-point scoring threat, leading the league last season with 79 and making .418 percent of the ones she shot, sixth best in the league. Sutton-Brown, now in her third pro season out of Rutgers, is the Sting's best inside player. She made the 2002 WNBA All-Star Team last season and ranked fourth in the league in field goal percentage (.531).

Kelly Miller, Stinson's back-up at shooting guard, had a strong preseason in the first two games. She scored well, committed few errors and last season made a league-best .471 of her three-point shots. At point guard, Sheila Lambert, who sat most of her rookie season last year with a broken leg, is greased lightning on the court but is still learning the nuances of the pro game.

As for Smith-Taylor, her frustration with her own performance at the end of 2002 prompted the new jersey number |and a determination to boost her scoring and rebounding.

"I want this year to be different," she says. "There is so much more I can give. It's a new start for me, new ownership and new coaching staff."

There's at least the hope of a new start for the Sting, a team that's done well in the past but still needs to boost fan support to ensure its long-term future in Charlotte. Whether the players, new ownership, and new coaching staff seize the moment is something time will tell.

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