Marina Mabrey and Sun want to topple Dream

The Connecticut Sun’s acquisition of Marina Mabrey during the Olympic break is already paying off.

Mabrey, who was acquired in a trade with the Chicago Sky, made his debut on Friday with 17 points in a 109-91 win at Dallas.

Mabrey and the Sun visit the Atlanta Dream in College Park, Georgia on Sunday afternoon.

“She knows how to play,” Sun coach Stephanie White said of Mabrey. “She moves really well on and off the ball. She reads the right direction and makes the right plays. She hits shots … and she’s versatile, so we can use her in multiple positions.

“I think she fits in very well with our core because she understands our actions, is effective in our actions and executes the right actions.”

Mabrey’s presence was extra important Friday because Connecticut (19-6) played without starting guard DiJonai Carrington (personal reasons) and top reserve Tiffany Mitchell (illness).

Alyssa Thomas felt right at home in her first game for Mabrey, finishing with 14 assists, 12 points and eight rebounds.

“(Thomas) is such a dynamic player, it’s really easy to play with her. She just moves, and she sees everything,” Mabrey said.

The Dream (8-17) also had success in their first game back from the break, ending an eight-game losing streak by beating the visiting Seattle Storm 83-81 on Friday night.

Rhyne Howard scored a season-high 30 points, Allisha Gray had 19 and Tina Charles capped a 16-point performance by making a basket with 1.1 seconds left. Howard made three 3-pointers en route to scoring 14 points in the third quarter, and Jordin Canada delivered all 10 of her points in the fourth.

“I think Rhy (Howard) did a great job of keeping it calm for everybody, keeping it even,” Dream coach Tanisha Wright said. “Obviously she took over in the third quarter.”

Howard, who helped the U.S. team win a bronze medal in 3-on-3 basketball at the Paris Olympics, had her fourth career 30-point game.

“She was just in a great zone,” Charles said. “I kept telling her to keep going because very few people can really get into that zone. It was amazing to be on the floor with her and see that and witness that.”

–Field Level Media