McCoughtry, Dream looking for return to finals

ATLANTA -- A season of controversy left the Atlanta Dream eager to embrace stability and a return to the WNBA finals.

After advancing to the 2010 and 2011 finals, the Dream endured a tumultuous 2012 season. Coach and general manager Marynell Meadors was suddenly dismissed with 10 games remaining in the season. This came about the same time that All-Star Angel McCoughtry was suspended for undisclosed rules violations.

The presumption of a connection between the two events was never confirmed. Assistant coach Fred Williams was promoted to take over leadership of the team, and he returns for his first full season as coach and GM.

The Dream won seven of 10 regular-season games under Williams but lost to eventual champion Indiana in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

"We had at the end of the season some change and stuff and we were still trying to fight to get in the playoffs," Williams said. "We still accomplished a lot of our goals to finish strong and have a winning season and compete in the playoffs. I think a lot of players still have a bad taste in their mouth that they want to get back there and compete to get to the finals again."

Atlanta lost to Seattle and Minnesota in the 2010 and 2011 finals, respectively.

Guard-forward Armintie Herrington, entering her fifth season with Atlanta, said the playoffs loss provides motivation for this season.

"I think it's a wake-up call," said Herrington, who before this season was known as Armintie Price and has assumed her married name.

"Every year, you never know which team is going to make that extra effort. Last year we got stopped short and the team that beat us was the team that won the championship, so this year we know what it takes. It's going to take just a little extra effort. We're going to have to push ourselves harder and work a little longer. We just have to be willing to give that effort."

McCoughtry, who led the WNBA with her average of 21.4 points per game in 2012, is one of four returning starters. Williams said McCoughtry and the team have moved past last year's disruptions.

"I think Angel in the offseason has really matured a lot with the game of basketball and things," Williams said. "It's a clean slate. She played hard in that transition when she came back for us last year toward the end of the season. She was part of our big run getting into the playoffs. We welcome her back."

Williams said he likes having being in charge from the start of the season.

"It's very refreshing because you can lay down a lot of foundation things that I'm trying to get implemented," he said. "It's different when you're taking over and you're kind of dealing with a lot of emotional things and getting them to play. I think they all played very well in that transition and hung together good as a team and now that I have some space to make some things happen. It helps out a great deal."

McCoughtry, a 2012 Olympian, said she's looking forward to a full season with Williams running the team.

"I really love Fred," McCoughtry said. "I think Fred knows the game. He knows the Xs and Os. The one thing I really love about Fred is his communication skills are great because he always tells me what he wants and he talks to me and lets me know what he needs and I do it."

Williams must replace point guard Lindsey Harding, who signed with Los Angeles. Center Erika de Souza and forward Sancho Lyttle are the other returning starters.

Among those competing for time at point guard are Jasmine Thomas, acquired in a trade with Washington, and rookie Alex Bentley, the No. 13 overall draft pick from Penn State.

Williams said Bentley is making a smooth transition from college and Thomas is adjusting to Atlanta's running game.

"I know she has the confidence and the swagger to come in and compete for minutes," Williams said. "Jasmine Thomas is doing a fine job of finding her rhythm in our style of play. She's a real fast point guard with the basketball. With the transition in our game, I think she'll fit right in. It will take her some time to find her balance in our style of game, but I give her about four or five games and she'll get in rhythm."

Undrafted rookie guard Courtney Clements of San Diego State has been a preseason surprise. While McCoughtry, Lyttle and de Souza were completing their obligations in the EuroLeague, Clements was Atlanta's leading scorer in its first two preseason games.

"I've known her since her watching her play in high school," Williams said. "She's kind of fit right into our style of play."

McCoughtry said the team looks deeper and should be in good position for another run at its first championship. She said falling short of the finals last year is "definitely a driving force."

"We've been there before and we've always tasted it but we never completed our mission," McCoughtry said. "I think we have a great team this year to really get there and just finish it, you know. You want to get at least one of them."