PHOENIX (October 9, 2009) – Former Rutgers star Cappie Pondexter helped guide the Phoenix Mercury to the 2009 WNBA Championship on Friday night in Game Five of the WNBA Finals. The Mercury posted a 94-86 win over the Indiana Fever to capture its second WNBA crown in the past three years.
Pondexter, who made a strong case for the WNBA Finals MVP trophy, netted 24 points on Friday. She added four rebounds and two assists in the decisive Game Five triumph. For the WNBA Finals series, Pondexter averaged 20.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists while shooting 48.3 percent from the floor.
“I hoped we showed how competitive we are as women and that it’s not about flashiness and not being able to play above the rim but (showed) our heart and determination,” said Pondexter in the post-game press conference.
When asked what she remembered most about the game, Pondexter answered matter-of-factly, “(When) Tangela Smith hit two crucial shots and that gave us momentum.”
Smith drained back-to-back three-pointers to break open a tie game at 80-80. The last one, off an assist by Pondexter, gave the Mercury an 86-82 lead with 3:34 to play. Smith and Pondexter were both coached collegiately by Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer.
Another former Rutgers player and Stringer-coached player was on the floor on Friday evening. Tammy Sutton-Brown led all Indiana scorers with 22 points, including tying a WNBA Finals record with 14 scored in the first quarter.
“I am so very proud of all three of these young women. They represent not just Rutgers or Iowa but our entire basketball family, from Cheyney on (down),” Stringer said. “The game was phenomenal and there were no losers this evening.”
The Mercury previously captured the 2007 WNBA Championship.
