WTF (1) - Penny priceless again
TweetWOMEN TAKE FRIDAY (1) - OPALS World Champion Penny Taylor was back to her very best today for Phoenix against Connecticut as the Mercury swept to their 12th straight WNBA win 101-85.
In 24 minutes, Taylor bagged a season-best 23 points at 75 per cent, four boards, four assists and three steals.
Fellow Opals World Champion Erin Phillips came off the Mercury bench to deliver eight points, one assist, three steals and a rebound in 20 minutes.
Phoenix now leads the WNBA with an 18-3 win-loss record, Taylor’s return to her best firming the club as a major title contender.
“But that’s vintage Penny,” Phoenix’s Australian coach Sandy Brondello said.
“I mean I’ve played with her for years and now I’ve coached her and watched her and it’s just what she does so it’s good to see that.”
Few could be happier to see that than current Opals coach Brendan Joyce as the World Championship in Turkey looms on the horizon.
“Couldn't have asked for a better first half, in my first year,” said Brondello, Joyce’s initial first choice as an Opals assistant.
“I have a great bunch of girls in there.
“They're professionals and they want to win, so it makes my job a little easier in that regard.”
Bendigo Spirits’ dual WNBL Championship series MVP, Kelsey Griffin, battled hard for Connecticut, playing 22 minutes for eight points and four rebounds.
Phoenix led 51-39 at halftime by which point a dominant Taylor had 19 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals.
In one 3-and-a-half minute stretch, the two-time WNBL MVP with Dandenong Rangers rattled up 12 points, before sticking a baseline 3-pointer in the final minute of the half.
“When you play on a team like this, the attention is sometimes elsewhere,” the modest Taylor said.
“You have to have so much focus on BG (Brittney Griner), Diana (Taurasi), Candice (Dupree) and DB (DeWanna Bonner) and I think sometimes I can sneak in there and get a few easy ones.
“It was a good night for me, I made shots.”