Sports, Women's Basketball

Figueroa returns to Pyramid as member of Los Angeles Sparks

The WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks will play in the Walter Pyramid for the first time in six years when the team participates in an exhibition game on Saturday.

Long Beach State senior Karina Figueroa, who averaged 17.8 points, 5.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game in her final collegiate season, is currently on the Sparks preseason roster.

The Sparks, fresh off a preseason-opening victory against the China Women’s National Team, will take on the San Antonio Silver Stars in their final tune-up on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

“I’m very pleased with the effort they gave me,” Sparks head coach Jennifer Gillom said regarding the win. “They played hard, developed team chemistry right away and I’m hoping they’ll do the same this weekend.”

Figueroa played 15 minutes against China, scoring two points on a 0-for-3 shooting effort from the floor and making both free-throw shots. She finished the game with three assists and also snagged one steal.

“She was a little bit nervous,” Gillom said about Figueroa’s performance. “It was to be expected. It was her first game.”

Gillom said she was impressed with Figueroa at the conclusion of the first week of training camp.

“She’s going to make my job hard when it comes to making decisions toward the end,” Gillom said.

It’s a new era for the organization as Gillom has replaced ex-Laker star Michael Cooper as the new head coach. Cooper is now at the helm of the women’s basketball program at USC.

The most notable absence from the squad will be that of three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player and four-time Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie. The USC alum spent 11 seasons with the Sparks before retiring after the 2009 season.

Gillom, who was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame this past June, put together a 14-20 record in her first stint as a head coach, when she was named interim head coach of the Minnesota Lynx in 2009.

The first-year coach said she is excited about this season and feels the Sparks are a championship-caliber team. She would like for the squad to be a transition team that pushes the tempo.

Gillom inherits most of a roster that compiled an 18-16 regular season record last season and reached the Western Conference finals.

The Sparks’ key returners include 2008 WNBA MVP and Rookie of the Year, Candace Parker, four-time WNBA champion Tina Thompson, who played collegiate ball at nearby USC and All-Star Delisha Milton-Jones.

New additions to the preseason roster include 13-year veteran guard Ticha Penicheiro, Junaid Rashidat, who led the Sparks in scoring in the team’s first outing, and Aisha Mohammed.

The Silver Stars and Sparks will have a preseason opponent in common, as the Silver Stars will also play China in a 7 p.m. matchup tonight.

The Silver Stars feature Becky Hammon, an 11-year veteran who averaged 18.3 ppg in 2009. Hammon made headlines after deciding to become a naturalized Russian citizen for the opportunity to compete in the 2008 Olympics for Russia.

Fans will have the opportunity to interact with players from both teams during a free autograph session following Friday’s open practice.

San Antonio will practice from 4-6 p.m. and will be available for autographs from 6-6:30 p.m. The Sparks practice from 7-8:30 p.m. and will be available for autographs afterwards.

The price for student admission is $5, while faculty and staff get in for $10. The general public will be charged $15 for admission the day of the game.

“All the players are very personable,” Gillom said. “This is a group that gives more than just an autograph.”

The Sparks have another LBSU connection besides Figueroa. Their general manager and vice president, Penny Toler, played three seasons for the 49ers and had her jersey retired at the Pyramid in 2007.
 

Disclaimer: The Daily 49er is not responsible for Postings made on www.daily49er.wpengine.com. Persons commenting are solely responsible for Postings made on this website. Persons commenting agree to the Terms of Use of the website. If Postings do not abide by the Rules of Conduct or Posting Regulations as listed in the Postings Policy, the Daily 49er has all rights to delete Postings as it deems necessary. The Daily 49er strongly advises individuals to not abuse their First Amendment rights, and to avoid language suggestive of hate speech. This site also encourages users to make Postings relevant to the article or other Postings.

 

Comments powered by Disqus

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.

Daily 49er newsletter

Instagram