Jet-lagged and exhausted, Monarchs guard Kara Lawson sat through most of Tuesday's practice, trying not to nod off. But the souvenir she brought back from Beijing had her teammates giddy with excitement.
A member of Team USA's women's basketball squad, Lawson brought her jade-encrusted gold medal to her first practice since returning from the Olympics.
"She passed it around during the team meeting," said Ticha Penicheiro. "We all got to touch it. I'll never be an Olympian, so this was the next best thing, living it through someone else."
Lawson got back just in time. The WNBA's season resumes Thursday with the Monarchs playing at Los Angeles. Lawson, the leading scorer in the title game with 15 points, left her Beijing hotel Sunday morning, eight hours after Team USA beat Australia 92-65, for a 12-hour flight to San Francisco. Because of the international date line, she arrived in Sacramento late Sunday, then slept all day Monday.
"It's definitely hard to believe," Lawson said, looking at her medal. "It's still a little bit surreal."
Bracing to play - Several other Monarchs had new hardware: braces to protect injuries.
DeMya Walker is getting used to a heavy brace to protect her surgically repaired right knee after she broke her kneecap in April. Walker has been cleared for full contact practices and could play soon.
Rebekkah Brunson, who had arthroscopic surgery Aug. 6 to repair torn cartilage in her right knee, has made great progress, too. Although not cleared for practice, she shot baskets Tuesday and might be ready to return next week.
Through much of the break, Penicheiro sported a left shoulder brace to lock her collarbone into place. An inadvertent elbow from Nicole Powell three weeks ago in practice popped Penicheiro's left clavicle out of place.
"It's getting better," Penicheiro said. "I'm still a little fearful, going to the basket, that somebody might hit it again. I've just got to suck it up."
Nursing sprained ankles, Chelsea Newton and Kim Smith need braces, which have started a trend in Monarchs practices. Most of the team now wears the black guards for protective measures.
"People don't realize how banged up we were (before the monthlong break)," coach Jenny Boucek said. "We needed this time off just to get well."
Call The Bee's Debbie Arrington, (916) 326-5514.
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