2001 Cleveland Rockers season

Last updated

2001 Cleveland Rockers season
Coach Dan Hughes
Arena Gund Arena
Attendance9,211 per game
Results
Record2210 (.688)
Place1st (Eastern)
Playoff finishLost First Round (2-1) to Charlotte Sting
Team Leaders
Points Merlakia Jones (13.5)
Rebounds Chasity Melvin (5.7)
Assists Helen Darling (3.4)
Media
Television WUAB (UPN 43)
Fox Sports Net Ohio

The 2001 WNBA season was the 5th season for the Cleveland Rockers. The Rockers topped the Eastern Conference with the best record in franchise history, but their season ended shortly in the playoffs, losing in the first round to eventual conference champion Charlotte Sting.

Contents

Transactions

WNBA draft

RoundPickPlayerNationalitySchool/Team/Country
111 Penny Taylor Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Dandenong Rangers (Australia)
227 Jaynetta Saunders Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Texas A&M
343Angelina WolvertFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States Oregon
459 Erin Batth Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Clemson

Transactions

DateTransaction
April 20, 2001Drafted Penny Taylor, Jaynetta Saunders, Angelina Wolvert and Erin Batth in the 2001 WNBA Draft [1]
April 30, 2001Signed Jessica Zinobile, Kim Williams, Rhonda Blades and Rhonda Smith [1]
May 8, 2001Waived Kim Williams and Rhonda Smith [1]
May 11, 2001Waived Rhonda Blades [1]
May 22, 2001Waived Erin Batth [1]
May 27, 2001Traded Jaynetta Saunders to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for a 2002 2nd Round Pick [1]
Traded a 2002 3rd Round Pick to the Detroit Shock in exchange for Jennifer Rizzotti [1]
Waived Jessica Zinobile [1]
Suspended contracts of Ann Wauters and Rushia Brown [1]
June 1, 2001Waived Angelina Wolvert [1]
June 16, 2001Waived Adia Barnes [1]
July 10, 2001Waived Vicki Hall [1]
July 12, 2001Waived Paige Sauer [1]

Roster

2001 Cleveland Rockers roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHeightWeightDOBFromYrs
F 23 Flag of Portugal.svg Andrade, Mery 6' 0" (1.83m)169 lb (77kg)1975-12-31 Old Dominion 2
G 11 Flag of the United States.svg Bader Binford, Tricia 5' 4" (1.63m)125 lb (57kg)1973-02-26 Boise State 3
F 32 Flag of the United States.svg Barnes, Adia 5' 11" (1.8m)165 lb (75kg)1977-02-03 Arizona 3
F 34 Flag of the United States.svg Brown, Rushia6' 2" (1.88m)175 lb (79kg)1972-05-05 Furman 4
G 30 Flag of the United States.svg Darling, Helen 5' 6" (1.68m)164 lb (74kg)1978-08-29 Penn State 1
F 42 Flag of the United States.svg Hall, Vicki 6' 1" (1.85m)180 lb (82kg)1969-10-03 Texas 1
C 41 Flag of the Bahamas.svg Johns Kimbrough, Pollyanna 6' 3" (1.91m)165 lb (75kg)1975-11-06 Michigan 2
G 25 Flag of the United States.svg Jones, Merlakia 5' 10" (1.78m)147 lb (67kg)1973-06-21 Florida 4
F/C 44 Flag of the United States.svg Melvin, Chasity 6' 3" (1.91m)185 lb (84kg)1976-05-03 NC State 2
F 6 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Němcová, Eva 6' 3" (1.91m)178 lb (81kg)1972-12-034
G 21 Flag of the United States.svg Rizzotti, Jennifer 5' 6" (1.68m)146 lb (66kg)1974-05-15 Connecticut 2
C 31 Flag of the United States.svg Sauer, Paige 6' 5" (1.96m)200 lb (91kg)1977-12-08 Connecticut 1
F 14 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Taylor, Penny 6' 1" (1.85m)165 lb (75kg)1981-05-24R
C 12 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Wauters, Ann 6' 4" (1.93m)193 lb (88kg)1980-10-121
F/C 40 Flag of the United States.svg Wolvert, Angelina6' 3" (1.91m)1978-12-08 Oregon R
Head coach
Flag of the United States.svg Dan Hughes (Muskingum)
Assistant coaches
Flag of the United States.svg Lisa Boyer

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured

Schedule

Regular season

2001 game log
Total: 22–10 (Home: 14–2; Road: 8–8)
May: 1–0 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance
Record
1May 31 Washington W 69–34 Merlakia Jones (17) Pollyanna Johns Kimbrough (10) Chasity Melvin (5) Gund Arena 1–0
July : 10–2 (Home: 7–1; Road: 3–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance
Record
15July 1 Minnesota W 52–47 Merlakia Jones (13) Merlakia Jones (6) Helen Darling (6) Gund Arena 11–4
16July 6@ Utah L 69–73 Jones
Melvin (13)
Chasity Melvin (8) Mery Andrade (4) Delta Center 11–5
17July 8@ Houston W 63–53 Helen Darling (18)Rushia Brown (11) Helen Darling (7) Compaq Center 12–5
18July 10 Seattle W 59–53 Rushia Brown (18)Rushia Brown (8)Brown
Darling
Rizzotti (4)
Gund Arena 13–5
19July 11@ Indiana W 76–58 Darling
Taylor (14)
Pollyanna Johns Kimbrough (5) Jennifer Rizzotti (7) Conseco Fieldhouse 14–5
20July 13 Phoenix W 69–61 Merlakia Jones (22) Merlakia Jones (11) Darling
Rizzotti (3)
Gund Arena 15–5
21July 19 New York W 65–60 Ann Wauters (19)Brown
Jones (9)
Helen Darling (6) Gund Arena 16–5
22July 21 Charlotte W 56–41 Ann Wauters (15)Brown
Jones (6)
Helen Darling (4) Gund Arena 17–5
23July 25 Miami W 52–48 (OT) Rushia Brown (15) Ann Wauters (10) Mery Andrade (5) Gund Arena 18–5
24July 27 Indiana L 63–67 Rushia Brown (20) Jones
Taylor (7)
Mery Andrade (7) Gund Arena 18–6
25July 28@ Detroit W 57–50 Merlakia Jones (12) Ann Wauters (8) Helen Darling (2) The Palace of Auburn Hills 19–6
26July 30 Orlando W 65–46 Helen Darling (16)Rushia Brown (8) Helen Darling (5) Charlotte Coliseum 20–6
August : 2–4 (Home: 1–1; Road: 1–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance
Record
27August 4@ New York W 58–43 Ann Wauters (14) Merlakia Jones (11)Rushia Brown (3) Madison Square Garden 21–6
28August 7@ Orlando L 67–74 Merlakia Jones (20)Rushia Brown (7) Mery Andrade (5) TD Waterhouse Centre 21–7
29August 8 Detroit W 73–66 Jones
Taylor (14)
Jones
Wauters (7)
Andrade
Melvin (4)
Gund Arena 22–7
30August 10 Charlotte L 53–55 Merlakia Jones (15) Ann Wauters (10) Ann Wauters (5) Gund Arena 22–8
31August 12@ Washington L 49–57 Chasity Melvin (13) Chasity Melvin (10) Helen Darling (4) MCI Center 22–9
32August 14@ Detroit L 65–76 Penny Taylor (21) Ann Wauters (8) Mery Andrade (5) The Palace of Auburn Hills 22–10
2001 season schedule

Playoffs

2001 playoff game log
First round vs. Charlotte Sting
Lost Series: 1–2
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance
Record
1August 16@ Charlotte L 46–53 Ann Wauters (12) Merlakia Jones (7) Merlakia Jones (7) Charlotte Coliseum 0–1
2August 18 Charlotte W 69–51 Merlakia Jones (19) Merlakia Jones (7) Darling
Rizzotti (6)
Gund Arena 1–1
3August 20 Charlotte L 64–72 Merlakia Jones (13) Helen Darling (5) Helen Darling (10) Gund Arena 1–2
2001 playoff schedule

Season standings

Eastern Conference WLPCTConf.GB
Cleveland Rockers x2210.68815–6
New York Liberty x2111.65613–81.0
Miami Sol x2012.62514–72.0
Charlotte Sting x1814.56315–64.0
Orlando Miracle o1319.4069–129.0
Indiana Fever o1022.3137–1412.0
Detroit Shock o1022.3137–1412.0
Washington Mystics o1022.3134–1712.0

Statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage 3P%  3-point field-goal percentage FT%  Free-throw percentage TO  Turnovers per game
 PF  Fouls per gameTeam leaderLeague leader

Regular Season

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
Merlakia Jones 303033.3.438.265.7935.51.51.00.113.5
Mery Andrade 323227.9.339.200.6672.73.11.60.34.8
Chasity Melvin 272027.9.4741.000.6985.71.90.90.69.9
Ann Wauters 241425.9.569.000.8004.81.50.70.59.8
Rushia Brown302425.3.5181.000.7304.41.21.50.38.3
Helen Darling 323224.3.355.329.7642.43.41.10.16.1
Penny Taylor 32017.5.382.301.7833.51.41.10.37.2
Vicki Hall 14616.1.409.318.5002.40.60.10.44.6
Jennifer Rizzotti 32014.9.382.384.6360.91.60.80.13.7
Eva Němcová 8214.1.342.200.6251.31.00.30.64.3
Pollyanna Johns Kimbrough 1806.6.444N/A.4441.70.20.00.11.6
Tricia Bader Binford 1906.0.400.385N/A0.60.60.30.01.1
Angelina Wolvert105.0.333N/AN/A1.00.00.00.02.0
Paige Sauer 202.0.333N/AN/A1.00.00.00.51.0
Adia Barnes 301.01.000N/AN/A0.30.00.00.00.7


Waived/Released during the season
Traded during the season
Acquired during the season

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "2001 Cleveland Rockers Transactions". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2024.