Shock Continues to Prep for Opener

Originally Published: Apr 29, 2010 3:22 PM CDT

Bobby Lewis
Oklahoma Sports Mobile Journalist

TULSA, Oklahoma – The Shock is set to tip off its Tulsa tenure with a May 15th showdown against the Minnesota Lynx. With opening night at the BOK Center fast approaching, the tempo is ratcheted up even more than normal during team workouts.

“This is the honeymoon time, so I say, let’s enjoy the honeymoon,” chuckled head coach Nolan Richardson. “Let me tell you something, it’s a very short step from the outhouse to the penthouse.”

Richardson’s idea of joy may vary slightly from that of the women on the floor in shorts and sneakers. The team is working out twice-a-day at the University of Tulsa’s practice facility, preparing for the grind of a 34-game season.

“We’ve got a lot left to be done right now,” Richardson said after a recent morning workout. “By May 12th we’ve got to be down to 11 players, and that’s not a good chore.”

The expectations for the Shock are high. Richardson’s forecast is a bright one, and that has rubbed off on some of the younger players in camp.

“I feel like I expect us to play a whole different game than everybody else,” said first-year player, Amanda Thompson. “Pressure, play fast, play smart, play strong.”

So far, Richardson likes what he sees.

“We’ve got kids who are really playing and practicing hard,” he said. “Our work is cut out to make sure that if each one of the ones that we brought into camp are getting the look at, and are actually going to help the team.”

For tickets to WNBA games, visit the Shock’s team website.