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WNBA Training Camp Update: Sandora Irvin

Lady Frog All-American enters fourth pro season

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Sandora Irvin hopes to make a big impact for the San Antonio Silver Stars this season.

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May 16, 2008

The following is the second installment of a two-part feature focusing on the WNBA training camp progress of former TCU women's basketball players Adrianne Ross and Sandora Irvin. Both former Lady Frogs will suit up for the San Antonio Silver Stars during Saturday's season opener at Sacramento.

Today's segment focuses on Irvin, who is entering her fourth WNBA season and second as a member of the Silver Stars. She played in 23 games a year ago for a San Antonio playoff team that reached the Western Conference Finals after acquiring Irvin in a trade from Phoenix prior to her third season. Irvin, who was the No. 4 overall pick of the 2005 WNBA Draft by Phoenix, recorded single-game averages of 1.2 points and 1.7 rebounds per game in 2007.

Irvin spent the past offseason serving as the Director of Operations for a TCU women's basketball program that helped her earn first-team All-America honors as a senior in 2005. This winter marked the first offseason that the 6-3 forward spent away from court since she entered the WNBA, as she typically played overseas to help refine her game.

Irvin and Ross each put together solid preseason camps to help grab roster spots for Saturday's regular-season opener in Sacramento, Calif., against the Sacramento Monarchs. Like Ross, Irvin notched two double-figure scoring efforts in her two opportunities in addition to starting both matchups. She averaged 11.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game during the exhibition season.

GoFrogs.com caught up with Irvin Friday as she was traveling on her way to Sacramento for Saturday's opener to check on her thoughts on both the progress of her game as well as that of her new rookie teammate, fellow former Lady Frog teammate Ross.

GoFrogs.com: How does it feel to know you have earned a roster spot and can now focus on the upcoming season?
Sandora Irvin: This was a different type of year for me, because in my fourth season I'm heading into free agency. This is a year where I have to produce and be a player who goes all out. Making the team wasn't even my focus this season, it was getting minutes. I haven't played as many minutes in the past as I have wanted, so I really have had to improve my game to earn that. When you hear about the San Antonio Silver Stars, I want to be able to hear my own name as one of those players who has a big impact on the team.

But it's definitely a good accomplishment to make the roster, because we bring in so many players in the preseason. It's an honor to make the team with girls all over the world competing for your spot.

GF: Was there anything particular you worked on in terms of your game during the offseason?
Irvin: My confidence was the biggest thing I wanted to focus on. Talking to my coaches before I left last season, they talked about being more assertive and being aggressive. That has been the main thing. Also, I gained some weight and grew stronger. Being a post, having the ability to push people around down there is very important.

GF: Were you more comfortable entering you second training camp with the team than you were last season?
Irvin: I was definitely more comfortable, especially with knowing the system and what the coaches wanted from me. I was picking up on things much quicker during practice and feeling like a veteran out there on the court. I didn't have to learn new things, just repeat from last year. I also love playing down here in the city of San Antonio.

GF: How would you grade your preseason performance?
Irvin: I thought I played very well. You could see the growth in my game and a better understanding of the game altogether. Working better with my teammates and learning how to play with them, I could just see a lot of growth. I thought I had a really good preseason, but I still know that I need to be more consistent carrying over into the regular season.

GF: How has it been to play with Adrianne again?
Irvin: Having Adrianne around has been good. I'm so happy for her to have this opportunity and for me to be here to help her in her first year. Adrianne's her own person. She probably already knows more people in San Antonio than I do. She knows my game and I know her game. We've played together before, so we're both looking for each other on the court. It made it easy for both of us in the preseason.

Adrianne is a scorer. She does such a good job at getting to the basket that if someone stops, she's going to hit me. My coaches have been so impressed at how she can create things and be a playmaker.

GF: Were you excited for camp to start after taking the past off-season off?
Irvin: I was. I was skeptical at first about not going overseas to play during the past offseason, but it was good for both my body and my mind to take a break from basketball. Then, being around the girls (Lady Frogs) and watching them play was helpful to me. One of my goals was to increase my knowledge of the game. You notice that about a lot of players in the WNBA. They may not be the fastest or best player, but they are very smart. I wanted to learn and understand the game better. Being there to see what Coach Mittie and the team were doing on a daily basis helped a lot.

I definitely missed the game when it came time for the season to start back up. Sitting and watching the game only makes you want to get right back out on the court.

Thanks for the update, Sandora. Good luck to both you and Adrianne during Saturday's season opener, and we will be sure to check back with you during the 2008 season.

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