Your 2019 WNBA Champs Are the Washington Mystics!

Photo courtesy of WNBA Advanced Media

 

By Veronica Harris, BarnBurner.ca

 

TORONTO. - With the game neck and neck up until the last quarter, the Mystics finally get their championship and more importantly...

 

Elene Delle Donne leads Washington to their first franchise win! Well, in this game particularly she didn't have a team high, but she didn’t come in second with 21 pts, 9 reb and 2 ast. If you don’t remember "E11ena De11e Donne" was this year’s 2019 league MVP and winning this is just the cherry on top. Last year the Mystics were swept away in the finals against Seattle (Storm). This wasn't just one or two players who made this happen, this was the definition of team effort. You have Kristi Toliver, who yes, didn't play very well in game 4. She only out up 7 pts and that wasn't until the 3rd quarter but she had been phenomenal throughout the rest of the post season and in game 5. Toliver finished with 18 pts. Who else has helped this team get to where they are today? I think Guard Natasha Cloud is a name worth mentioning! Cloud played thirty-five minutes and put up 18 pts, 5 reb.

 

Fun Fact: Natasha Cloud outed the Washington Mystics staff after they won and said, " Elena actually had three herniated discs not one". Talk about strength! That's pretty impressive.

 

Of course, there are the "Ariel's" that were a huge factor in getting to the finals for Washington but there is someone I haven't mentioned yet... EMMA MEESSEMAN! This woman is different. She hoisted the MVP trophy and was named the finals MVP for her first time ever and girl-did she deserve it! This player hailing from Belgium, who is a year younger than myself has been in the league since 2013. Emma was drafted by the Mystic's in the second round. She has been on an all-star reserve team and in 2011 she was named FIBA's Younger Woman Player of The Year. Meesseman played twenty-seven minutes and put up a team high 22 pts including some beautiful jumpers.

 

Fun Fact: In January 2018, it was announced that Meesseman would sit out the entire 2018 season to play for Team Belgium in the 2018 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.

 

It was a very close game. This isn't like the Mystic's "ran away" with it. The Connecticut Sun had to make them work for this. At the end of either first three quarters the lead was always within 4 pts. The 4th quarter is when the mood shifted, and the home court advantage came into play.

 

Connecticut had three players in double digits, including the woman who had a game high 25 pts, 9 reb in thirty minutes, Centre Jonquel Jones. Maybe this is where all the big’s in the NBA are getting their inspiration from?

 

Alyssa Thomas of the Sun was the only player to record a double double. Without her 21 pts and 12 reb this wouldn't have been as exciting. The Sun did have an amazing season finishing second, behind Washington with a 23-11 record.

 

NBA Player Watch: Washington's John Wall and Bradley Beal. Shout out to these two for holding is down in the post season and showing how truly excited they were after the Mystic's won (running onto the court and jumping around). Shout out to Courtney Williams father who is her biggest fan and showing the world that he loves the WNBA.

 

Washington take this year chip winning 89-78. Does this put pressure on the Wizards to at least make it to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Buck's? Let's see how they do!

 

NBA regular season starts Tuesday October 22nd with the New Orleans Pelicans visiting the reigning champs, Toronto Raptors and the LA Lakers (A) vs the LA Clippers(H).