Sancho to shoot hoops in Spain

After a grueling Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) season characterized by rehabilitation and adjustment from injury, Sancho Lyttle has been given a clean bill of health by her doctors. She is now set to jet off to Spain to participate in the Spanish league later this month.

About a year ago the Houston Comets centre tore the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in her right knee and missed the first ten games of the recently concluded 2006 WNBA season. Lyttle told SPORTS EXTRA (SX) that she resumed playing although her doctor felt it was too early. But the decision was made to ease her back into the fray of things.{{more}}

“I had to get accustomed to wearing the brace and that took a while,” Lyttle said as she pondered the advancement she may have made in her game this past season hadn’t she had the injury. She averaged 3.7 points and 3.93 rebounds in the regular season. She upped her output to 5.5 points and rebounds in the two playoff games she participated in. The Houston Comets were swept out 2-0 in the first round of the Western conference playoff by the Sacramento Monarchs who are presently locked in a title battle against the Detroit Shocks.

Sancho became the first Vincentian woman to play in the WNBA when the Comets made her the 5th pick overall in 2005 from the University of Houston. While at Houston she was an absolute super star averaging 17.6 and 18 points and 10.7 and 12 rebounds respectively in her two years at the school. She had previously excelled at the Clarence Junior College in Texas. Lyttle was an athletic phenomenon here in St Vincent even before her climb to international sporting stardom. She has left a hot trail to be followed from her exploits in the inter secondary school track and field competitions and the National under 16 and 23 and senior netball teams.

This climb to stardom is not getting to Sancho one bit because often when she is recognized on the streets of Houston, she denies who she is to avoid them making it into a “big deal meeting me.” When she is not at the team’s regular 11am- 2pm practice sessions during the WNBA season, Sancho told SX that she would usually attend movies as her way of relaxation as she is not into the partying scenes.

Sancho admitted that it is tough dealing with defending against the “thicker, stronger persons” in the WNBA but continues to train hard and develop her game. Even though there have been no complications with her knee since surgery, Sancho is doing a lot of weight training to strengthen her knees as she prepares for the upcoming season.

Sancho expressed her admiration of superstar Sheryl Schoopes. “She is about thirty-five-years old but she is one of the fastest in the league.”

The Houston Comets was matched up against the San Antonio Silver Stars, the team of the latest Vincentian WNBA rising star, Rookie Sophia Young. However because of injury first to Sancho then to Sophia they were only matched up in one game. During the game Sancho was in constant foul trouble and never got settled.

Sancho will be coming home to St Vincent next week to deal with some business and will spend a few days before heading off to take up duty in Spain.