WNBA FINALS: MONARCHS v SUN

September 14, 2005

Yolanda Griffith

YOLANDA GRIFFITH: It's a challenge. I've been in the league seven years, I think Dydek maybe been in the league longer than me, I'm not for sure, but she's like a wall. You have to make adjustments and I just try to pass to my teammates when it was open, attack when I got the opportunity to attack. She sits right there in the paint, so when you get a jumpshot, you've got to have confidence and knock the shot down. If she comes out at you, you've got to go around her, but tonight was just overall team effort. Defensively and offensively, we know we have some strong post players but we know we have some great shooters on the outside. If we have everybody scoring on the inside and outside, it's kind of hard to stop us.

YOLANDA GRIFFITH: All season we've been known to be defensively great. But towards the end of the season, we picked it up offensively because we started playing as a team, sharing the ball. Like I said before, we dominated on the inside and if they double-teamed, then we kick it out. Kara's been playing extremely well. Nicole led the league in three-pointers. We have a great inside-outside game. We don't feel any pressure. We feel we've got confidence coming into The Finals, and if we continue to work as a team defensively and offensively, I think we'll be okay. But, you know, tomorrow is going to be a different story. We've just got to keep our composure and we know they are going to bounce back. We know they have leaders like Taj and Whalen, Nykesha, an outstanding game tonight, and Asjha Jones coming off the bench scoring 13, 14 points. We know it's going to be a challenge. We can't celebrate. We haven't did anything. We can from here on out lose three in a row. We're not going to celebrate. We're going to look at video and get ready for tomorrow's game.

YOLANDA GRIFFITH: Don't tell everybody that. (Laughter).

YOLANDA GRIFFITH: Really just not thinking about it. Taking it one game at a time. It's a privilege to be in The Finals. This is our first time. We don't feel our backs are against the wall. Both teams are No. 1. They are No. 1 in the East and we're No. 1 in the West. Like I said, we believe in each other and whatever happens, happens. Nothing in life is guaranteed and I've been preaching that from day one. We're here this year, but we can finish last next year. So I keep telling my teammates, be hungry, don't accept anything, look at video, get your rest, because tomorrow is going to be a dogfight and nothing in life is guaranteed, this opportunity may come once. Connecticut this is their second time. The Monarchs it might be the only time. You just have to be hungry and not take things for granted. Like my teammates, I'm hungry, but I'm also having fun.