“I think we just know what this break means and that honestly, just viewing [it] as an opportunity to get better rather than an opportunity just for rest and vacation,” Sun guard Veronica Burton, told The Next. “Obviously in the beginning, utilizing those breaks and getting that recovery in but now we’re back to work. And as soon as we’re in the gym, we know what we’re here for and we have a job and we’re competing for a championship. So that’s just the biggest thing on our minds.”
The Connecticut Sun entered the Olympic break with a record of 18-6 and ranked second in the Eastern Conference.
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The Sun have been led by 6’2 veteran forward Alyssa Thomas all season long as she provides an immediate spark when she steps on the court. Thomas has been providing that same spark for USA Basketball at the Paris Olympics, winning gold with the 5-on-5 team.
With Thomas and her fiancé DeWanna Bonner (in support of Thomas) away in Paris, it has opened up the opportunity for other players to build their confidence by filling different roles in practice.
Head Coach Stephanie White stressed the importance of the roster as a whole stepping forward and how it is crucial for Connecticut’s success in the second half of the season.
“Often times, and I think particularly as the season went on, it’s like they just stop and look to AT [Alyssa Thomas] and DB [DeWanna Bonner] to make plays,” White said. “Good teams aren’t going to let AT and DB make plays. They’re just not going to. So, for us to do what we want to do and to compete for a championship we’ve got to have our fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh players making plays. This gives us the opportunity to build confidence in that and more than anything to let their instincts take over. They’re not hesitating, they’re not second guessing, they’re not deferring.”
Sun guard Tyasha Harris, used her time to work on her own game.
“We’ve been competing with some competitive drills, full court stuff, just managing the time we have our time and I maximizing that,” Harris told The Next. “[I’ve been working on] reads, just getting more comfortable with the offense and just being more confident in myself.”
Harris’ focus mirrored many of her teammates, who could spend time on individual skills and other areas that they normally don’t have time for during the regular season.
Important as well, though: coaches and players were able to find a balance between recovery, practice and leisure activities, traveling to many different places at the beginning of the break.
Sun center Olivia Nelson-Ododa was able to travel back home to Georgia to spend time with some family.
“I think that was huge for me just kind of going back home, grinding with my family, getting back to my roots and then coming back up here,” Nelson-Ododa told The Next. “It’s just like a good little refresher.”
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Sun guard DiJonai Carrington made the most of her break and traveled to multiple destinations.
“I went on vacation for a little bit to the Caribbean,” Carrington said. “So that was fun. I went home for a little bit that was also fun. I went to Texas and I went to New York, I did a cam. It was very relaxing.”
Both White and assistant coach Briann January traveled to Europe at the beginning of the break.
“We were in Italy, so we did Rome, Florence, some day trips, Pisa, Sienna and Venice,” White said. “They [her children] had studied the Roman Empire in school so they were very excited. So, lots of pizza, lots of pasta, lots of wine. Not for the kids, just for us.”
January was glad the Sun finished the first half of the season on the East Coast.
“We had a few days completely off which was really nice and we played New York last and so we were on the coast. My wife and I we flew to Portugal, it was awesome,” January told The Next. “We had 10/11 days. We got to see a lot of it[the country], got to rest, relax, enjoy. I love traveling, so that definitely filled my bucket and I’m ready to finish the season now.”
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Burton went to Cape Cod with her friends and Harris was able to go to Playa de Carmen in Mexico where they both were able to reset.
The Sun also went on a cruise and attended Topgolf in Rhode Island for a team bonding experience.
Fully refreshed, Connecticut is ready to end the season strong and pursue the championship that has eluded the Sun throughout team history.
“I think these practices are crucial,” Nelson-Ododa said. “First, I think it was good to have like a mental and physical break because the second half of this season is just going to gear up and like the coaches said, it’s a sprint right after this when we get started.”
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